Bianca Andreescu sets "birthday final" in Den Bosch, awaits Samsonova or Alexandrova

On the eve of her 24th birthday, Bianca Andreescu turned back the clock with a commanding performance to advance to her first final of the year at the Libema Open in the Netherlands.

Playing in just her second tournament since missing nearly 10 months with a back injury, Andreescu backed up her third-round run at Roland Garros with a successful performance on grass. Currently ranked No. 228, the former world No. 4 has now amassed a 6-1 record on the season after her victory over Hungarian qualifier Dalma Galfi 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday.

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"It feels great. I believe that all the hard work that I'm putting in and the perseverance and never giving up is really paying off,” Andreescu told press after the match.

"I think I played very good throughout the whole match. The conditions weren't easy and she played really well at times. I saw that she was a bit injured, which obviously doesn't help.

“I just tried to stay focused until the end and I just never gave up."

The Canadian will be going for her first WTA title since 2019—when she won the US Open for her lone Grand Slam trophy.

But Andreescu will have to wait to learn her opponent in the final, as the rain-affected schedule continued wreaking havoc on ‘s-Hertogenbosch action. The 23-year-old will face either No. 3 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, the two-time defending champion, or No. 2 seed Liudmila Samsonova, whose match was suspended due to darkness.

On Saturday, Alexandrova won her quarterfinal against American qualifier Robin Montgomery 6-4, 6-3, and after a suitable rest she was right back on court to face countrywoman Samsonova for a place in the final. Play will resume on Sunday, with Samsonova leading 6-3, 6-7 (1).