Azarenka to face Sam Stosur in California final

Victoria Azarenka will need to see off Australian Sam Stosur in order to collect her 17th career title at the Southern California Open in Carlsbad.

The top seed from Belarus won a topsy-turvy semi-final against Serbian Ana Ivanovic, while Stosur ended the challenge of Virginie Razzano.

Azarenka beat the No 7 seed Ivanovic 6-0 4-6 6-3 in one hour and 55 minutes, showing no ill effects from the ankle injury that forced her to pull out of Wimbledon in the first week.

Just three days beyond her 24th birthday, Azarenka sealed an impressive victory by breaking serve twice in the final set, as she crossed the finishing by taking five of the last six games.

However, even the first set was not as straightforward as the score line suggests.

Invanovic failed to take advantage of four break point opportunities in the opening set, with the first four games all going to deuce.

Interesting match

Azarenka admitted: “It was an interesting match. The first set, the score definitely doesn’t tell the whole story because there was a lot of close games.

“In the second set she came up with great stuff. I have to give her credit. She started serving well, going for her shots.

“But I’m just happy with the end result, that I was able to overcome some things and still find the way to win. That’s the most important.”

Her opponent in Sunday’s final she will face the No 5-seeded Aussie Stosur

Stosur recovered from a 0-4 deficit in the opening set to register a 7-6 (7/2) 6-3 victory over Razzano.

Stosur closed out the tie-break with ease after winning the opening five points, before breaking serve twice in the second set.