Kuznetsova eyes WTA final berth

MOSCOW— Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova beat fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-4 in the Kremlin Cup semifinals on Friday to remain on course to claim the eighth and last spot in the WTA final. Kuznetsova will qualify for the showcase in Singapore only if she wins the tournament. Otherwise, the place will go to Johanna Konta. As in her quarter-final win over Timea Babos, the Russian lost the second set in the tiebreak before prevailing in the final set. In the other semifinal, Daria Gavrilova knocked off Julia Goerges 7-5, 6-1.