Safina and Kuznetsova set up all-Russian French Open finale

DINARA SAFINA and Svetlana Kuznetsova will meet tomorrow in the French Open’s second all-Russian final after winning their respective last-four matches yesterday.

While top seed Safina was a comfortable 6-3 6-3 winner over Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova in the first semi-final, seventh seed Kuznetsova survived a mid-match wobble to come through 6-4 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 against Australian Sam Stosur.

Safina, the world number one without a grand-slam title to her name, will start as favourite but Kuznetsova will be confident having beaten her compatriot in the final of a clay-court tournament in Stuttgart last month.

Neither was at their best yesterday in rather forgettable semi-final matches, although Safina was arguably more impressive and her routine victory over Cibulkova, the pint-sized 20th seed, means she has lost only one set en route to the final.

“It obviously gives you much more confidence when you know you can still do much better,” said Safina, who was defeated by Serena Williams in this year’s first grand-slam tournament, the Australian Open.

“But being under pressure and still winning in two sets, I’m really happy.”

Kuznetsova finished the stronger in her tie against Stosur. “I’m a little tired because I’ve had two long matches in a row. But it’s all nerves and emotions – I’ll be fine,” she said.

“She (Dinara) is going to be favourite. She’s the number one. She’s played an unbelievable season,” she said, “I have nothing to lose out there.”