Svitolina Soars: Sweeps past Rus to enter Monterrey's final round

Elina Svitolina roared through the first set and racked in seven consecutive games before Arantxa Rus got on the board. The Monterrey semifinal was much different than when these two competitors previously met nine years ago. Rus slipped past the then 16-year-old Svitolina in three sets, but on Saturday, Svitolina controlled the match from start to finish.

The world No. 7 posted a dominating 6-0, 6-1 score in just over 50 minutes to advance to the Monterrey final. The Ukrainian is finding her consistency and ball-striking in Mexico after failing to find her rhythm in Doha and Dubai. Svitolina took first round losses in both events, falling to Amanda Anisimova in Doha and Jennifer Brady in Dubai.

In Monterrey, Svitolina is getting better and better with each passing match. Only giving up nine total points on her serve and winning an incredible 63 percent of the points on Rus' serve.

Svitolina will be back out to battle against No. 9 seeds Marie Bouzkova in her first final since the Shiesido WTA Finals in Shenzhen.

The two have only faced each other once before; last September in the Guangzhou second-round. Svitolina was down, 6-4, 4-3, when she was forced to retire due to injury.