(Adelaide) Favorite Elise Mertens qualified for the final in Hobart with a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory over Daria Saville on Friday.

Mertens broke Saville’s serve in the 11th game of the final set, before cruising to victory.

Mertens is 29th at the WTA.

In the final on Saturday she will face second seed Emma Navarro after the American beat Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue 6-4, 6-3.

In Adelaide, Jiri Lehecka defeated third seed Sebastian Korda 6-2, 6-1 to advance to the final.

The Czech, who lost only one round in the tournament, will face Jack Draper in the final on Saturday. Draper defeated Alexander Bublik 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Korda was trying to qualify for back-to-back finals in Adelaide.

He lost last year to Novak Djokovic, after securing a championship point.

On the women’s side, former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko beat Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-2, 7-6 (3).

Ostapenko will face Daria Kasatkina in the final on Saturday.

After victories against Sorana Cirstea, Caroline Garcia and Marta Kostyuk, Ostapenko will play her first final on a hard surface since her victory in Seoul in 2022.

Kasatkina reached the final after Jessica Pegula withdrew (a gastrointestinal illness).

It was the second consecutive withdrawal in favor of Kasatkina after that of Laura Siegemund, due to a left leg injury.