INDIAN WELLS, the United States, March 16 (Xinhua) -- 20-year-old Russian rising star Daria Kasatkina reached her first-ever BNP Paribas Open final on Friday night with a victory over WTA Legend Venus Williams at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California.
Dasha, as she's known, has the biggest win of her young career with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 triumph in a nearly three-hour baseline struggle in Friday's semi-finals.
She will now face another 20-year-old sensation, Japan's Naomi Osaka, who defeated World No. 1 Simona Halep on the same day, in Sunday's BNP Paribas Open final.
For Kasatkina, No.8 seed Venus Williams was the fourth consecutive Grand Slam champion she's beaten in a row. The young Russian ousted No.13 seed Sloane Stephens, No.2 seed Caroline Wozniacki, and No.10 seed Angelique Kerber before her massive semifinal victory over Venus. The world No. 19 is now 10-16 lifetime against the top 10.
Kasatkina, who won her first title at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston last year, therefore enters her first Premier Mandatory final in Indian Wells.
At 37-years-old, Venus is oldest in women's single draw at 2018 Indian Wells.
