German Mona Barthel will defend her Hobart International WTA title against Russia's Elena Vesnina in the final on Saturday.

Mona Barthel of Germany returns to Agnieska Radwanska of Poland during round two of the Rogers Cup at the Uniprix Stadium in Montreal, Canada on August 9, 2012. Barthel will defend her Hobart International WTA title against Russia's Elena Vesnina in the final on Saturday.

Ninth seed Barthel set up a showdown with Vesnina with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Belgium's Kirsten Flipkens in a night semi-final on Friday.

Vesnina, 26, has spent more than seven years in the top 100 and has yet to clinch a title in six finals.

She got another chance to break through for her maiden title following an emphatic 6-2, 6-2 semi-final win over American Sloane Stephens.