Elena Rybakina overcomes Mirra Andreeva in Stuttgart to set up final with Karolina Muchova

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rybakina-elena/UDzElXdm/"]Rybakina[/a] shook off any lingering fatigue from a late finish in Friday's quarter-final win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fernandez-leylah-annie/8EI3pJOd/"]Leylah Fernandez[/a] to reach her third final of the year.[/p][p]Top seed Rybakina snatched a tight opening set by breaking [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/andreeva-mirra/lI6fOOat/"]Andreeva[/a], who was 7-0 on clay this season and won in Linz last week, with the Russian serving to force a tie-break.[/p][p]She carried over that momentum to sweep into a 5-0 lead in the second set before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/andreeva-m-lI6fOOat/rybakina-e-UDzElXdm/?mid=8IWZWtit"]closing out victory in 77 minutes[/a].[/p][embed guid="8418caac-cdc1-4ae4-a5c3-5508de3ddfba" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4pe4N-JGF8" social-type="youtube" /][p]"First set, we were going pretty even," said Rybakina. "[b]I had some opportunities to go up but didn't take them. But I'm happy that in these important moments, my serve worked and I stayed aggressive[/b].[/p][p]"Then in the second set being up, I was more free to hit, to step in, to play even more aggressive.[/p][p]"[b]So I'm pretty happy with the performance. It was really solid. And I guess the three-hour match yesterday, it did help me today[/b]."[/p][p]Rybakina, who finished runner-up at Indian Wells last month, will have a chance on Sunday to regain the title she won two years ago and drive off with a second Porsche sports car -- the coveted prize awarded to the champion in Stuttgart.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/muchova-karolina/Or4Qa1ye/"]Muchova[/a] edged [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/monfils-elina/jyngIesG/"]Elina Svitolina[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/muchova-k-Or4Qa1ye/svitolina-e-jyngIesG/?mid=I95mB58s"]6-4, 2-6, 6-4[/a] earlier in the day to book her spot in the final.[/p][p]The world number 12 will play the first 500-level final of her career as she goes in search of a third WTA title.[/p][p]Muchova, the 2023 Roland Garros runner-up, got the edge over Svitolina to claim the opening set as she converted both break points against the Ukrainian.[/p][embed guid="24638aac-a515-4d43-b2a8-b4ee3c272d04" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uXyDSE58NU" social-type="youtube" /][p]The seventh seed's serve deserted her somewhat in the next frame as Svitolina hit back by breaking Muchova three times to claim the second set.[/p][p]The crucial moment in the decider came in the ninth game as Muchova pounced on Svitolina's service game to get her nose in front at 5-4.[/p][p]That sole break was enough as Muchova then served out the match to love, sealing the deal with an ace out wide.[/p]