San Francisco (AFP) - Shelby Rogers and Daria Kasatkina booked a WTA title clash in San Jose on Saturday with upset wins in the hardcourt US Open tuneup in California.
Rogers, ranked 45th in the world, beat 19th-ranked Veronika Kudermetova 6-3, 6-4 to reach her third career final and her first since a runner-up finish in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
She'll be seeking her first career title when she takes on 12th-ranked Kasatkina, who toppled world number four Paula Badosa -- the second seed -- 6-2, 6-4.
Kasatkina notched her second win in three career meetings with Spain's Badosa.
After she roared through the opening set without facing a break point, Badosa called for the trainer, who checked her blood pressure.
Badosa then made a bright start to the second set with an early break for a 2-0 lead.
But Kasatkina, who beat Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the first round, was just too strong.
She broke the Spaniard twice to take a 4-3 lead and after another exchange of breaks she served for the match, converting her first match point.
Rogers continued an impressive week in Northern California that included an opening win over former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu and a victory over world number three Maria Sakkari, the top seed.
The 28-year-old hasn't dropped a set all week and she started strong against Kudermetova with a break in the first game of the match.
Kudermetova dropped her serve again to surrender the first set, but opened the second by breaking the American.
Rogers regained the break but was broken again to trail 3-4.She won the next three games to seal the victory after an hour and 20 minutes.
