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PARIS -- Top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze beat Marion Bartoli 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 on Saturday to face Agnes Szavay in the final of the Open Gaz De France.
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The Russian cruised through the third set, breaking Wimbledon finalist Bartoli three times. Chakvetadze converted her first match point after a backhand into the net by Bartoli.
Chakvetadze lost her serve twice in the first set, landing only 39 percent of her first serves.
Both Chakvetadze and third-seeded Bartoli were massaged by a trainer in the second set. The players traded breaks until Chakvetadze managed to hold her serve for a 3-2 lead before breaking her French opponent in the next game with a forehand winner down the line.
Seventh-seeded Szavay outlasted fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.
"Agnes was playing a smart game," Dementieva said. "She was mixing up a lot. I think she has a good chance to win this tournament because she's in good shape."
The Hungarian converted her first match point after a forehand error from Dementieva.
"She really likes (it) when somebody is hitting flat against her and she never misses on those balls," Szavay said of her Russian opponent. "So I tried to mix it up a little bit and it worked."
At 5-4 in the third set, Dementieva was serving for the match but couldn't finish it off, firing a backhand wide to let Szavay break back and level at 5-5.
"It was the big moment of the match," Dementieva said. "I couldn't hold my serve. I had lots of opportunities to finish the match but I just didn't use them."
A long backhand return from Dementieva gave Szavay the first set. Out of frustration, Dementieva slammed her racket against the ground.
"I feel like I made too many unforced errors today," Dementieva said. "I was rushing a lot. I was trying to go for the winner. But I wasn't prepared for it. As a result, I was missing a lot."
Dementieva struggled on her serve in the first set, hitting four double faults. Szavay broke Dementieva twice to lead 2-0 and 4-0.
But the Russian took Szavay's serve on a double fault before winning her service game to cut the deficit to 4-2.
Dementieva fought back in the second set, raising her level while Szavay made a string of unforced errors.
Dementieva broke Szavay three times for a 5-1 lead before saving two break points in the next game to take the second set.
"She played really well in the second set," Szavay said. "I was a little bit passive. So she pushed me down on the court. But in the third set, I could come back and play my game."
