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Stosur stunned by Goerges heroics

Julia Goerges showed all her battling qualities during her shock win over Sam Stosur © Getty Images

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Julia Goerges produced a gutsy display to shock fifth seed Samantha Stosur 6-4 3-6 7-5 and book her place in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.

Unseeded Goerges, who has one career title to her name, set the tone by breaking her more experienced opponent in the first game of the match. A first-serve percentage of 85 enabled her to coast through the rest of the set without alarm.

Any hopes Goerges had of a routine victory were quickly dashed when Stosur upped her level to force a decider. The Australian produced some blistering groundstrokes and, despite her serve not being at its fluent best, she managed to claw her way back into the match by breaking twice.

Stosur had all the momentum heading into the final set and, with a higher first-serve percentage, she seemed destined to go on and win. However, Goerges would not lie down and some great defence allowed her to manoeuvre herself into a winning position.

Stosur had more opportunities to break but failed to take more than one of them, gifting Goerges extra lives and the German showed her mental strength to grind out a thrilling three-set victory.

In Sunday's showpiece, Goerges will play Caroline Wozniacki after the top seed brushed aside Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5 6-3.

The Dane enjoyed great success on her opponent's serve in the first set, but she made life hard for herself by only converting two of 11 break points. Radwanska's serving woes continued in the second set but, once again, Wozniacki let her off the hook by not being clinical enough when chances presented themselves. Still, two breaks of serve proved enough for the world No. 1 to complete a deserved victory.

At the Grand Prix SAR in Fes, illness prevented Dinara Safina from challenging for a place in the final. The Russian had reached her first semi-final in two years but was unable to compete against Alberta Brianti.

Seventh seed Simona Halep will line up opposite the Italian on Sunday after the Romanian beat Kirsten Flipkens 7-5 6-4.

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