Mihaela Buzarnescu reaches ITF Toyota tournament final

Romanian Mihaela Buzarnescu advanced on Saturday to the final of the ITF Toyota tournament (Japan) featuring $60,000 in prize money, as she made it past China's Jia-Jing Lu 6-1, 7-5. 

Seed No. 1 Buzarnescu (aged 29, WTA's 68th) claimed the victory in one hour and 12 minutes, managing 9 aces. 

Buzarnescu is now at a career high, having lost only one match of 14 played lately; her latest achievements are the title of the $100,000 ITF Pro Circuit in Poitiers, France, this October, and ending as runner-up in the $100,000-Tokyo tournament earlier in November. 

In the Toyota tournament final Buzarnescu will step on court against seed No. 3, Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek (age 19, No. 149 WTA), who in her turn defeated in the other semifinal Japan's Junri Namigata (8th seed) 6-1 6-1. 

In their only encounter two years ago in the quarterfinals of the ITF Pro Circuit tournament in Zawada, Buzarnescu defeated Zidansek 7-6 (5), 6-4. AGERPRES .