COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)—Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki battled into the final of the Danish Open after beating Anna Chakvetadze of Russia 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 on Saturday.
Under pressure to win the inaugural Danish Open in front of her hometown crowd, Wozniacki wobbled in the previous two rounds, and again needed three sets to get through on Saturday.
One time fifth-ranked Chakvetadze, who came through qualifying in Copenhagen, has been in resurgent form, and gave Wozniacki a tough test at the indoor hard court tournament.
Wozniacki, who is chasing her 8th WTA title, looked in the mood to finish the match quickly after cruising through the first set. Chakvetadze, though, broke Wozniacki three times in the second to force the match to a closely fought third.
Wozniacki eventually prevailed, despite Chakvetadze breaking to bring the scores level at 4-4 in the final set.
In Sunday’s final, the third-ranked Wozniacki will face Klara Zakopalova after the Czech defeated second-seeded Li Na of China 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
Zakopalova started strongly, breaking Li’s first two service games of the match to win the first set.
Li recovered to take the second convincingly, after breaking Zakopalova three times. The final set was tighter, with the seventh-seeded player from the Czech Republic eventually serving out the final game for victory.
Wozniacki came out on top in three sets in her only other meeting with Zakopalova at the Japan Open in 2007.