Teenage Swiss wildcard Rebeka Masarova, ranked 797 in the world, saw her fairytale run at the Gstaad WTA tournament end at the semi-final stage yesterday.
The talented 16-year-old, making her tour debut, had put out German fifth seed Annika Beck 7-5, 6-2 to set up a last-four meeting on the clay with fellow Swiss Viktorija Golubic.
But Golubic proved too strong in a 6-3, 6-2 victory which took her into her first final on a day when both quarter-finals and semis were played due to rain earlier in the week.
“It’s been an unbelievable week,” Masarova said. “It’s just amazing, I still cannot believe I beat three players in the world top 100 this week.
“I had been prepared mentally and physically for this tournament and I’m happy for the experience I’m getting.”
Golubic will face off today against Dutch third seed Kiki Bertens, who prevented an all-Swiss final with a 7-5, 7-6 (7/1) defeat of top seed Timea Bacsinszky.
“I feel really good after a tough week with all the rain,” said Bertens. “I’ve played a lot of matches in a short time.
“But I feel good, I’m just going to go for it in the final. I have a great feeling about my game.”
Masarova, who won the junior French Open title last month, was playing in her first senior-level event.
She defeated former world number one Jelena Jankovic in the rain-delayed first round on Thursday.
Home favourite Bacsinszky had blitzed Sweden’s Johanna Larsson 6-0, 6-1 to power into the semis. The Swiss advanced unhindered in 55 minutes, breaking a helpless Larsson seven times.
The 105th-ranked Golubic saw off Germany’s Carina Witthoeft 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) in her quarter-final.
Bertens then added Bacsinszky to the day’s victim list after accounting for Russian Irina Khromacheva 6-3, 6-1 in the last of the quarter-finals under perfect sunny skies.
Bacsinszky was unable to earn revenge after losing a French Open quarter-final to Bertens this season with the Swiss plagued by nine double-faults and dropping serve four times. Bertens is chasing a second title this season after winning Nuremberg on clay.