CiCi Bellis will play for her third consecutive singles title and by far the biggest of her life on Sunday.
But the 17-year-old product of Atherton in the San Francisco Bay Area faces a stiff challenge.
Bellis, seeded fourth, dispatched unseeded American Jacqueline Cako 6-0, 6-4 today in the semifinals of the $125,000 Hawaii Open in Honolulu. It was Bellis' 14th straight win.
Bellis, by far the youngest player in the top 100 at No. 92, will meet top-seeded Zhang Shuai of China for the first time on Sunday at 3 p.m. PST. The match will be streamed live.
The 23rd-ranked Zhang, who reached the Australian Open quarterfinals as a qualifier in January, outclassed sixth-seeded Evgeniya Rodina of Russia 6-2, 6-3.
Bellis already has beaten one Grand Slam quarterfinalist this year. As a qualifier, she upset Shelby Rogers of Charleston, S.C., in the second round of the U.S. Open before falling to second seed and eventual champion Angelique Kerber 6-1, 6-1. Rogers advanced to the final eight in the French Open in June.
Then there was Bellis' breakthrough victory over 12th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova at 15 in the 2014 U.S. Open. Cibulkova had reached the Australian Open final that year, losing to since-retired Li Na of China.
Neither Zhang, a 27-year-old wild card, nor Bellis has dropped a set in the Honolulu tournament. Bellis, in fact, has not lost more than five games in a match.
Bellis, who turned pro on Sept. 13, is coming off titles in two $50,000 indoor tournaments in Canada. She also has won four crowns in $25,000 tourneys.
Zhang, meanwhile, seeks her second straight title. She won a $100,000 tourmament in Tokyo this month.
Bellis will rise to approximately No. 75 with a victory in the Honolulu final or about No. 83 with a loss.
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