Canny Russian Elena Vesnina has declared “this is my time” as she aims to end her long WTA title hoodoo in the final of the Hobart International on Saturday.
The 26-year-old has spent more than seven years in the top 100 and played in six tournament deciders but has yet to clinch any silverware.
But Vesnina enters Saturday’s decider full of confidence after an emphatic 6-2 6-2 semi-final upset of powerful American Sloane Stephens on Friday afternoon.
“I’m feeling good,” the world No.68 said.
“I can say this is my time. I’ve played so many finals before and I’ve been a little bit unlucky in the past.
“I’m feeling like I’m at home here.”
Vesnina’s last final was in Budapest last year when she upset three seeds on the way to a tight loss against Italian Sara Errani.
The Russian eliminated Australian wildcard Jarmila Gajdosova in the Hobart quarter-finals by cleverly using the blustery wind gusts to her advantage and, once again, played the conditions perfectly against Stephens.
The rising American teenager, ranked 29th in the world, never recovered after conceding her opening service game despite being up 40-0.
Vesnina then raced to a 5-0 in just 19 minutes and couldn’t be headed as it appeared Stephens was fatigued by her two-and-a-half hour quarter-final win over Lauren Davis.
“I know she is a very dangerous player … maybe she was tired from yesterday’s match,” Vesnina said of the 19-year-old.
“I was expecting it to be a long and hard match.”
Vesnina will meet the winner of Friday night’s semi-final between defending champion Mona Barthel and Belgium’s Kirsten Flipkens in Saturday’s tournament decider.