Doha, Qatar – Victoria Azarenka reached the final of the Qatar Open after recovering from one set down to beat Venus Williams.
The two-time champion Azarenka, beat Williams 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
“Venus was kicking my butt left and right and I didn't know what to do. In the second set I took control,” said Azarenka, , who fired 36 winners in the two hour, eighteen minute battle which was watched among others by former England football captain David Beckham.
The Belarusian, who won in 2012 and 2013, was forced to withdraw last year due to a foot inflammation.
She will face Lucie Safarova in Saturday's final, after she beat Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3, 6-2 in the other semi.
The Czech No.3 hardly broke any sweat in the 77 minute encounter in which Navarro committed 21 unforced errors.
“It's so exciting! I've been playing so well in all my matches, so I'm happy. I worked really hard in the off season and my level has been going up, so I'm enjoying playing,” said Safarova, who has now won all three matches against Suarez Navarro.
In the first set, the 2014 Wimbledon semi-finalist broke Navarro's serve in the second game. Though she dropped her serve in the seventh game, Safarova broke back in the next game. In the second set, she excelled with her powerful ground strokes.
“I felt confident from the beginning. I was feeling that my game is working against Carla. And that was the plan, to play aggressive and take her time away because she's very good in defense. And she can also, from her backhand side, play very strong. So I was trying to push more through the forehand,” added Safarova, who is a member of Czech's triumphant Fed Cup squad.
Victory for Azarenka in the final will see the current world No.48 will become the first player to win three titles in Doha.
Russians Maria Sharapova (2005, 2008) and Anastasia Myskina (2003, 2004) are the others to have won it twice. – Sapa-AP