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Teenager Kristina Liutova qualifies for first-ever WTA Tour final in Memphis

Kristina Liutova is into her first-ever WTA Tour final.
Kristina Liutova is into her first-ever WTA Tour final.JUSTIN FORD / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Russian 16-year-old Kristina Liutova is into the final in her first WTA Tour-level event, booking a title shot in Memphis with a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Elvina Kalieva on Saturday.

Liutova, ranked 229th in the world, will be the youngest player to contest a WTA final since American Coco Gauff in Austria in 2019.

The first player born in the 2010s to make a WTA final, she called her week in the 250-level event a "miracle journey" after her quarter-final win over sixth-seeded Caty McNally.

In her first WTA main draw match she advanced past top-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova, who retired with heat illness with Liutova leading 7-6 (2), 4-6, 5-4.

She beat Australian Maya Joint in the second round before knocking off McNally 6-3, 6-4.

In Sunday's final she will face either 114th-ranked Czech Darja Vidmanova who beat Renata Zarazua of Mexico 6-3, 6-3 in the other semi-final.

Vidmanova, 23, will also be playing her first WTA final.

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