SYDNEY, January 31. /TASS/. Russian tennis player Ekaterina Tupitsyna has reached the final of the Australian Junior Open in Melbourne.

In the semifinals, the 17-year-old Tupitsyna defeated American Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-4. In the title match, the Russian athlete will play with France's Ksenia Efremova, who defeated Russia's Rada Zolotareva in the semifinals.

The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam tournament of the season and is held on a hard surface. The competition will end on February 1. The prize fund of the tournament is about $75 million.