Erakovic, Safarova reach WTA Quebec final

New Zealand's Marina Erakovic celebrates beating China's Peng Shuai during the 2013 Wimbledon Championships in Wimbledon, southwest London, on June 27, 2013. (AFP/File)

QUEBEC CITY (AFP) – New Zealand's sixth-seeded Marina Erakovic and Czech third seed Lucie Safarova advanced to the final of the $235,000 WTA Bell Challenge with victories on Saturday.

Croatian-born Kiwi Erakovic defeated American Christina McHale 6-4, 6-3 while Safarova rallied to eliminate fifth-seeded Canadian Eugenie Bouchard 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Sunday's championship match will be a rematch of a second-round encounter at the 2009 Australian Open in which Safarova edged Erakovic 9-7 in the third set. That was their only prior matchup.

Erakovic, ranked 68th, won her first WTA title earlier this year at Memphis and reached her first tour final at Quebec City two years ago.

Safarova, ranked 48th, advanced to her 12th career final and seeks her fifth career title but her first of the year. She lost in the 2009 Quebec city final.