Tennis-Czech Safarova reaches New Haven final

Aug 28 (Reuters) - Fourth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova ended Lesia Tsurenko's giant-killing run at the Connecticut Open in New Haven after fending off late resistance with a hard-fought 6-2 7-6(4) victory in the semi-finals on Friday. French Open finalist and world number six Safarova breezed through the opening set and went two breaks up in the second before the Ukrainian lucky-loser entry, ranked 46th, mounted a stirring fightback. Tsurenko, who had upset fifth-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-2 in the quarter-finals and did not drop a set on her way to the last four, broke her opponent's serve four times and saved a match point at 5-4 before losing the tiebreak 7-4. "I had to go back to basics to calm myself down," left-hander Safarova said courtside, having clinched victory on her second match point after a contest lasting just over 90 minutes. "I just had to start to play more aggressive and go for the shots." In Saturday's final, Safarova will take on either second-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova or third seed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who were scheduled to play later on Friday. Safarova, an expert doubles player, will be bidding for her seventh WTA singles title. She has lost to Kvitova in all six of their career meetings but won her last hard court encounter with Wozniacki in 2014. Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Czech can reflect on what has already been a golden 2015 campaign highlighted by grand slam doubles titles at the Australian Open and French Open and career-high rankings in both singles and doubles. "It's just been an amazing season," a smiling Safarova said to the fans packed into the stadium. "I'm so pleased with the results, especially the finals of Roland Garros (French Open) ... a dream come true. I just keep working hard and following my dreams." (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)