Keys (25 in the world) defeated Gauff 6-3, 6-3 to return to the final of the tournament in which she won her first title in her career at the age of 19.
This week, Keys reached the semi-finals of a grass court tournament for the first time since winning the Birmingham title in 2016.
“It hasn’t been a good year for me so far, so to be in the final here where I won my first title is great,” she said after the win.
“I’m very happy because I was able to play a simple match and win. I’m looking forward to the final,” she added.
Keys equaled Gove’s head-to-head record at 2-2 and avenged her loss against her in the quarter-finals of this year’s Dubai tournament.
This is Keys’ first final since winning the Adelaide tournament in early 2022 with the sixth title in her career.
As for Gauff, she suffered a blow three days before the start of the Wimbledon Championships, the third of the four Grand Slam tournaments, as she hoped to reach London with a title.
Keys will meet Kasatkina, ranked eleventh in the world, who defeated Italian Camila Georgi (67) 6-2, 7-5.
This is the second final this year for the Russian woman, after she finished runner-up in Adelaide, and hopes to lift the seventh title in her career.
Keys leads Kasatkina 8-2 head-to-head, but the Russian has won two of her last three matches.
This will be their first match on grass.
© 2023 AFP
2023-06-30 14:02:09
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