Auckland, New Zealand (SportsNetwork.com) – Caroline Wozniacki and Venus
Williams were semifinal winners Friday and will meet for the title at the ASB
Classic.
Wozniacki, the top seed in this season-opening event, was a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
winner over fourth-seeded Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the first match of the
day.
The third-seeded Williams then made quick work of Lauren Davis, topping her
fellow American in straight sets, 6-0, 6-3.
Williams was last year’s Auckland runner-up, dropping a 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 decision
to Ana Ivanovic.
Wozniacki was down a set and a break on Friday before storming back to win.
The Dane reached three finals in 2014, winning in Istanbul last July for her
lone title of the year. She then lost consecutive finals in September, first
falling to Serena Williams in the U.S. Open before losing to Ivanovic in Tokyo
two weeks later.
Venus Williams was 1-3 in finals last year. After the loss to Ivanovic in
Auckland, she beat Alize Cornet in February for her lone title of the season
in Dubai, then lost finals last summer in Montreal and Quebec City.
Wozniacki will be trying for her 23rd career title, while Williams will be
gunning for her 46th.
Williams has never lost a set to Wozniacki in five previous meetings,
capturing a 6-3, 6-2 triumph in their last matchup last February in the Dubai
semifinals.
