Cornet to meet Venus in Dubai final

Sport360 staff 20:49 21/02/2014
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  • Shock finalist: Alize Cornet will play Venus after beating Williams' younger sister Serena.

    Venus Williams will play Alize Cornet in the final of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after the world number 26 from France secured a hugely impressive straight-set victory over Serena Williams.

    Eariler in the day Venus had booked her place in the final with a 6-3 6-2 win over Caroline Wozniacki, in which she dominated the former world number one from Denmark from start to finish with her heavier, and sometimes cleverly angled, driving.

    "To come into a tournament with such a strong draw and to play a former number one now and get through is a wonderful result," said Venus.

    The doubts have been whether Venus, who still battles against the side effects of an immune deficiency, has regained the endurance to produce back-to-back wins, and, although she has yet to be taken to three sets, the evidence is hopeful.

    She made the ideal start, breaking Wozniacki's serve in the first game, and consolidating it with a hold, despite having trouble landing her first delivery as often as she might have liked.

    But breaks of serve became commonplace, and the match often hinged on who could get the best blow in first in the rallies, something which Venus still very well equipped to do.

    Wozniacki, who has been in good form herself this week at a tournament she has won before, lacked consistency on the forehand wing early on, and was twice unable to snatch game points which might have placed more score pressure upon her free-hitting opponent.

    Twice her father coach Piotr came on court to offer some of his demonstrative advice, but it did not halt the direction of the match.

    This accelerated after Venus had clinched the first set after a game of three deuces by punishing her opponent's second serve.

    She then took the first three games of the second set and the end soon came with a flurry of typically fierce drives which Wozniacki could not contain.

    There had been the chance that Venus could play her sister for the first time since 2009 when they met in Doha but Cornet was in superb form as she secured a 6-4 6-4 win over Serena.

    The American world number one struggled throughout, failing to make inroads into the Cornet serve and producing some uncharacteristic unforced errors.

    Cornet played one of the matches of her life as she took the first set with ease before nerves appeared to get the best of her in the second as Serena threatened to force her way back into the match.

    Serena was serving to stay in the match at 3-5 and somehow managed to save three match points before eventually coming through and forcing Cornet to serve for the win.

    However, yet more unforced errors and some superb serving from Cornet saw her complete a memorable victory in 84 minutes.

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