China Open 2019: World No 1 Ashleigh Barty edges past resurgent Kiki Bertens in three sets to reach final

Beijing: Ashleigh Barty will meet Caroline Wozniacki or Naomi Osaka in the China Open final after the World No 1 squeezed through in three tense sets against Kiki Bertens on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_7455971” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Ashleigh Barty plays a shot against Kiki Bertens. AP[/caption] The Australian committed 52 unforced errors but still just about emerged victorious, saving match point in a nervy 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory in Beijing. The 23-year-old Barty looked all set to rush into Sunday’s final and dominated the first set against the shell-shocked Bertens. But the 27-year-old Dutchwoman struck back to win the second set of their semi-final by the same 6-3 scoreline and take the match to a decider. They went with serve until the fifth game of the third set, when Bertens, ranked eighth in the world, profited from another Barty error to go up by a break. Bertens though lost her nerve when serving for the match, the momentum swinging back in Barty’s favour. Barty went down 3-1 in the tiebreak but overcame the deficit to seal the victory. Title-holder Wozniacki and reigning Australian Open champion Osaka play their semi-final later on Saturday.