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Russians reach final in Dubai

Svetlana Kuznetsova reached her second final of the year in Dubai on Friday.

The world No. 3 from St Petersburg overcame Jelena Jankovic, the world No. 4 from Serbia, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the semi-finals of the Dubai Open.

She will now face compatriot Elena Dementieva, who put out Italy's Francesca Schiavone, in an all-Russian final.

For Kuztensova, it was an important victory in a patchy match for a player who lasted a physically testing two-hour 42-minute encounter better than her opponent.

"In the first set I was playing the right shots but at 5-3 I lost concentration and let her get back," Kuznetsova said.

"The same happened in the second set when I got to 3-0. I let her get back. I tried to change that and as the match went on and on I went better and better. In the third set I served better too," she said.

The Russian still had to come back from 2-3 down in the final set against Jankovic who served moderately, but ran bravely and was usually dangerous when given time and room on the backhand side.

Jankovic was still pleased with her overall improvement, having finished last year exhausted, and begun this year with limited preparation.

"I started this year healthy but not well prepared because of a back problem. But then I started getting all the injuries probably, because I wasn't well prepared," she said. "My whole body was falling apart, but now that's not the case -- I am just tired."

Jankovic also suggested she is still on the lookout for a coach, after spending most of the tour without one. She is currently trying out with Scott Humphries, from the US.

"I don't want to be alone any more," Jankovic said. "But I have a lot of room for improvement. I believe that if I have a good coach with a lot of knowledge who can put me on the right path I can really reach my full potential and do really great things in tennis."

"I would love to find the person to do this but it's difficult to find the right person," she said.

The unseeded Dementieva joined Kuznetsova in the final after a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 win against Schiavone, who on Thursday ended Justine Henin's four-year unbeaten run in Dubai.

"For sure it was two very difficult matches yesterday [against Ana Ivanovic] and today, and I lost a lot of energy," Dementieva said.

"But we are not playing the final till tomorrow night and it will be enough time -- or I hope so," she said.
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