Osaka, Japan, Oct 16: Top-seeded Samantha Stosur of Australia and second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France moved into the final of the Japan Open with semifinal victories on Sunday.
Stosur, the U.S. Open champion, beat unseeded Zie Jheng of China 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3 in a match that lasted 2 hours, 36 minutes at the Utsubo Tennis Center.
Bartoli defeated third-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-1, 7-6 (5). Bartoli was never broken and won 81 percent of her first-serve points.
Stosur and Bartoli will return to the court to contest the final later Sunday. The semifinals were originally scheduled for Saturday, but were delayed until Sunday due to rain.
