Pliskova rallies to beat Kirilenko at Korea Open

Karolina Pliskova returns a shot to Maria Kirilenko during their semifinal of the Korea Open at Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

SEOUL, South Korea — Second-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic rallied from a set down on Saturday to beat Russia’s Maria Kirilenko 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 and reach the final of the Korea Open.

Pliskova hit 10 aces at Olympic Park Tennis Center to oust Kirilenko, who needed a wild card to enter the tournament she won in 2008.

Kirilenko, a top-10 player last year, fell out of the top 100 this year after a knee injury kept her out of the first three months of the season.

Pliskova will face fifth-seeded Varvara Lepchenko of the United States in the final. Lepchenko outlasted compatriot Christina McHale 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

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