• US Open - Women's Draw

Clijsters and Zvonareva to contest final

Vera Zvonareva showed relentless aggression to silence Caroline Wozniacki © Getty Images

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Defending champion Kim Clijsters produced a stirring fightback to win a memorable US Open semi-final against Venus Williams 4-6 7-6 6-4 on Friday.

Clijsters will have the chance to go back-to-back in Saturday's final against Vera Zvonareva, who upset Caroline Wozniacki in the other semi-final.

Clijsters holds a 5-2 career record over the Zvonareva, but the Russian's two victories have come in their last two meetings.

However, the Belgian's performance in dispatching Williams will surely hold weight when the bookmakers establish their favourites for the decider.

Both players handled the now infamous windy conditions of this tournament comfortably in a strong start and Williams' serve in particular was in top form. Clijsters couldn't make inroads on the American's delivery and a break at 3-3 gave Williams a lead which she carried through to take the first set.

But Clijsters lifted a gear in the second set, twice going a break up but twice being reeled in by Williams in a high-quality affair. In the tiebreak, Williams' serve capitulated and Clijsters took it 7-2.

Williams has been error-prone throughout the tournament but her superior power has been enough to see off lesser opponents. But Clijsters is another calibre of player and she took advantage with an early break in the decider.

Williams fought back yet again but at 4-4 Clijsters secured the final break of the match with a sensational lob that had Williams flailing hopelessly. The No.2 served it out to win her all-time record-equalling 20th consecutive match at Flushing Meadows.

Vera Zvonareva produced an astonishing display to stun top seed Caroline Wozniacki and reach her second successive Grand Slam final.

The seventh seed, who lost in straight sets to Serena Williams at Wimbledon earlier in July, overpowered her Danish opponent to surge into Saturday's showpiece with a 6-4 6-3 victory.

Last year's finalist Wozniacki failed to reproduce her incredible form which had seen her reach the last-four without dropping a set.

The tone of the match was set in the opening game when both players sat deep on the baseline and proceeded to trade booming groundstrokes. Wozniacki was immediately put under pressure but she saved two break points to get on the scoreboard.

But, after Zvonareva held to level matters, she continued to attack the Wozniacki serve and this time she converted one of her three break points to gain the initiative.

The pair continued to exchange blows, with Zvonareva saving a break point with a crunching backhand down the line. Neither player was prepared to take a backward step and, with the match being played at such a high intensity, errors began creeping in.

Zvonareva produced some top class serving when it mattered and she edged a tight first set. Wozniacki entered the last-four clash having dominated her five previous opponents and she did appear slightly flummoxed that she wasn't having it all her own way.

Both players broke each other before Zvonareva claimed the crucial break and when Wozniacki hit a forehand into the net, Zvonareva didn't need to serve out the set, as she became the fourth Russian to make the US Open final.

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