Dominika Cibulkova powered into her first WTA final of the year on Friday with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Belgian qualifier Elise Mertens in New Haven, Connecticut. The Slovakian will face either defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland or Australian Daria Gavrilova in Saturday's title match in the final WTA tournament before the US Open begins on Monday. Cibulkova, the world number 11 who is chasing her ninth career title, needed just 69 minutes to subdue Mertens, ranked 47th in the world.

source: AFP