NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Three-time defending champion Caroline Wozniacki kept her unbeaten streak at Yale alive, topping Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (2) 6-3 in the semifinals of the New Haven Open, the final WTA tuneup before next week’s U.S. Open.
Wozniacki, 16-0 during her four years at the tournament, trailed 4-2 early against the third-seeded Italian, but won an entertaining rally to break back and tie the set at 5-5, then dominated the tiebreaker and the second set.
She will play Czech qualifier Petra Cetkovska in Saturday’s final, which has been moved to 1 p.m. from 5 p.m. in an effort to avoid the effects of Hurricane Irene.
Cetkovska, ranked No. 40, upset French Open champion Li Na in a dramatic third-set tiebreaker 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (9) earlier Friday to reach her first WTA final.