Tennis News : Karolina Pliskova battles past Martic to reach her third final in Rome

2019 champion Karolina Pliskova is through to the final of the Italian Open after surviving a tough encounter with Croatia's Petra Martic. Pliskova had saved three match points against Jelena Ostapenko in the previous round but cruised to a 6-1 lead in less than half an hour against Martic. But the determined Croat, who has enjoyed a resurgent week, rallied to win the second set 6-3 and force a decider. The ninth-seeded Czech finally pulled ahead to win the last four games and wrap up a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victory. Pliskova will be contesting her first final since last September when, once again at the Italian Open, she had to retire to Simona Halep after suffering a thigh injury.