Ekaterina Alexandrova will defend her Libema Open title against top seed Veronika Kudermetova, after both reached the final on Saturday without dropping a set.

The 27-year-old beat the former Australian Open champion, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, on Thursday night in the Tennis in The Land quarterfinals.

The former Roland Garros champion has enjoyed a solid start to the season and is into her fourth WTA semifinal since last June.

The Belarusian will take on her third consecutive Grand Slam champion when she faces Azarenka on Tuesday.

It was not meant to be for the 18-year-old, who had an understandable letdown in her first match since winning the US Open.

The former No. 30 kept things light despite a disappointing finish to her first-round clash with 23-time major champion Serena Williams.

On Tuesday, Roger Federer's opponent, Adrian Mannarino, was forced to retire in their fifth set having earlier slipped on a closed Centre Court. A short time later, Serena Williams was struck by a similar fate in her opener with Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Aliaksandra Sasnovich advanced after the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was overcome by an apparent right-leg injury in her first-round match.

There’s no shortage of first-round blockbusters in the women’s draw this year.

The former French Open champion served notice in her first match of the St. Petersburg Ladies Trophy, dismissing Spaniard Paula Badosa in straight sets.