DUBAI (Reuters) – Amelie Mauresmo upset second seed Monica Seles 6-4 6-3 Friday to ensure an all-French final at the Dubai Tennis Championships, after Sandrine Testud earlier knocked out top seed Venus Williams.
American Seles failed to make the most of her chances, despite break points in the third and seventh games of the first set, and faced two set points at 5-4.
She saved the first with a service winner, but third seed Mauresmo hit a blistering winner down the line on the second.
Seles then snatched an early break in the second set to lead 1-0 but Mauresmo’s searing backhand proved too strong and accurate for her.
The Frenchwoman broke back immediately, and gained a second break for 3-1 with the aid of her third net-cord of the match. The win was her second hard court victory over Seles.