Top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France easily beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-1, 6-2 on Friday to reach the final of the Strasbourg International.
The Frenchwoman will face Andrea Petkovic of Germany, who outlasted Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in a match that lasted 2 hours, 42 minutes.
Bartoli put pressure on her opponent's serve throughout the match, winning 27 of 43 return points. She is trying to build confidence on clay ahead of the French Open after a first-round exit in Barcelona and second-round losses in Charleston, Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome.
In the second semifinal, the sixth-seeded Hantuchova leveled at one set apiece when Petkovic double-faulted. But the second-seeded German fought back in the decider by jumping to a 3-0 lead. She converted her third match point to reach her second final this season.
