• WTA Tour

Venus ends Peer title hopes to set up Azarenka final

ESPN staff
February 19, 2010
Venus Williams reached the final in Dubai for the second time © Getty Images
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Day six in pictures

Venus Williams remained on course to defend her Dubai Tennis Championships title as she powered through to the final with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Shahar Peer.

Peer's dream run at the event, where she was denied entry 12 months ago due to security reasons, came to an abrupt end against the seven-time Grand Slam champion.

Both players struggled with their serves, neither succeeding with more than half of their first serves, and Williams, serving for the match, hit her third double fault. But she made no mistake at the next attempt to maintain her 100 per cent record over the Israeli.

With top seed Caroline Wozniacki and No. 2 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova both out, Williams will be the favourite to take the title as she moved seamlessly through to the final where she will meet Victoria Azarenka.

Azarenka triumphed in straight sets in the other semi-final against Agnieszka Radwanska, winning 6-3 6-4 to book her place in the final.

No. 4 seed Azarenka went into the match as the marginal favourite over her seventh seed opponent, and it was on the big points where the Belarusian proved the superior. Radwanska created five break opportunities but could convert only two of them. By contrast, Azarenka clinched five of her six chances to effectively decide the contest.

Boosted by a statistic of 78 per cent first serves in, Azarenka produced a largely solid performance, but on this showing it is unlikely she will beat Williams in the final.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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