Garbine Muguruza needed seven match points to overcome a stubborn Elise Mertens and advance to her third final of the season, and second in as many weeks, in Dubai on Friday.  The ninth-seed Spaniard, who is searching for a first title since Monterrey in 2019, has now reached the championship match at three of the five tournaments she contested in 2021.

Her 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) success over Mertens takes her tour-leading match-wins tally this year to 17 and she’ll be bidding for a maiden Dubai crown when she faces either Jil Teichmann or Barbora Krejcikova in the final.  “I’m very excited, I think it’s great always to be in the final and to have these opportunities of holding the trophies. It’s been a tough tournament here, many matches, and I’m just very excited to be able to have the last one tomorrow,” said the two-time Grand Slam champion.