HOBART, Australia -- Sixth-seeded Aussie crowd favorite Jarmila Groth and unseeded American Bethanie Mattek-Sands will be the combatants in Saturday's finale at the $220,000 Hobart International tennis event, a final Australian Open tuneup.
Groth grounded fifth-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova 6-3, 6-2, while Mattek-Sands overcame Chinese Peng Shuai 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 in Friday's semifinal action on the hardcourts at Domain Tennis Centre.
The 23-year-old Groth, a native of Slovakia, will compete in her second career final. She captured her first WTA title in Guangzhou last year.
The 25-year-old Mattek-Sands is in search of her first-ever WTA crown. The two-time runner-up reached finals in Quebec City in 2008 and last season.
Mattek-Sands beat Groth in their lone WTA meeting in Birmingham, England back in 2008.
Saturday's winner will collect $37,000.
