By Chris Davies
April 6 2003

Second-seeded Russian Anastasia Myskina and unseeded Aussie Alicia Molik were Saturday's semifinal winners at the $140,000 Sarasota Clay Court Classic Myskina eased into the final with a 6-2, 6-4 scoreline over seventh-seeded Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy who has now lost 3 out of 4 meetings against the Russian. Qualifier Molik who has been a big surprise to many this week advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 shock win against Croatian Iva Majoli, the 1997 French Open champion.

The 21-year-old Myskina is ranked 11th in the world and is 3-3 in her career finals, including a hardcourt title in Qatar in February.

The 22-year-old Molik, ranked 71st in the world, had never reached a WTA final prior to this season, but she will now play in her second title match in three months, having captured an Australian Open tune-up tournament in Hobart in her native Australia back in January.


Results

(2) A Myskina (RUS) bt (7) N Dechy (FRA)
6-2, 6-4

(Q) A Molik (AUS) bt I Majoli (CRO)