Updated on Saturday, March 01, 2008, 00:00 IST

Memphis, Mar 01: Olga Govortsova reached her first WTA Tour final Friday by defeating last year's runner-up Shahar Peer 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the semi-finals of the WTA Memphis tournament.

The fifth seed from Belarus beat third seeded Peer for the second consecutive time.

"It feels really good to get to my first final in only my second year on the WTA Tour," the 19-year-old Govortsova said.

She advances to the final where she will face former World No 1 Lindsay Davenport, who easily beat Kiwi Marina Erakovic 6-0, 6-3 in the other semi-final.

Govortsova was looking forward to meeting Davenport in the final because the former Olympic champion and three-time Grand Slam winner was her idol when she was young.

"I want to play against Lindsay because she was favourite player growing up," Govortsova said. "I like to watch her play."

Govortsova also beat Israel's Peer in the second round of last year's Stanford tournament. Her previous best showing in a WTA event was a semi-final berth in Tashkent in 2007.

In the opening set, Peer broke in the opening game and then lost serve in the sixth and eighth games to drop the set.

Govortsova, who saved match point in her second-round match against Renata Voracova, fell behind 5-1 to Peer in the second set. Peer eventually served it out to win 6-3.

The Belarussian regained the momentum in the third set by breaking for a 3-1 lead. She broke at 0-40 to clinch the win in the final game.

On the men's side, Steve Darcis, of Belgium, routed Germany's Benjamin Becker 6-1, 6-0 in an early quarter-final match.

Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman also advanced, with a 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) victory over American Donald Young.

Bureau Report