How Blinkova defeated Feistel
Blinkova broke in the opening game of the deciding set, lost her serve straight back, then broke twice more to take a 4-1 lead. Feistel saved three points at 5-2. Blinkova then served it for her third match point in the next game after saving three break points.
Feistel took Blinkova to 7-5, breaking her second set point at 5-6. In the second set, Blinkova equalized with an early break, which she closed out at 6-4 on her second set point.
Blinkova committed eight double faults but won 68 percent of her first serve points to Feistel’s 59 percent. She also saved eight of the 12 break points she faced.
Blinkova will face Lancere in the Luanda final
Blinkova opened her week with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Algeria’s Farah Heddar. He then needed three sets to beat Zhongyu Li of China 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in the last 16. Morocco’s Yasmine Kabaj also took a set from her 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in the quarterfinals. Blinkova and Lancer have never met.
Feistel, ranked 324th in the WTA rankings, leaves Luanda with wins over Poland’s Linda Klimowiczova, Bulgaria’s Izabella Shinikova and Russia’s Ksenia Zaitseva.
Blinkova’s path to the final
First stage: d. Farah Heddar (WC) 6-2, 6-1
Second stage: d. Zhongyu Lee 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Quarter finals: d. Yasmin Kabaj (6) 6-2, 2-6, 6-4
Semi-final: d. Gina Feistel 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Feistel’s road to the semi-finals
First stage: d. Linda Klimovichova (7) 7-6 (2), 5-7, 6-4
Second stage: d. Isabella Shinikova 6-2, 6-3
Quarter finals: d. Ksenia Zaitseva 6-1, 7-5
Semi-final: lost to Anna Blinkova (1) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2