Stosur edges out Wozniacki

Australian books final date with Schiavone

Last updated: 17th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Stosur edges out Wozniacki

Stosur: prevailed in three-set battle

I hope to do better than in our last few matches. I will have to play well and fight a lot. You have to find a good feeling to win in the final.

Francesca Schiavone
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Samantha Stosur survived a second-set wobble to defeat top seed Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-final of the Japan Open in Osaka.

The Australian reeled off the first eight games in a row to open a 6-0 2-0 lead before Wozniacki came storming back.

The Danish teenager broke twice to secure the second set 6-4 and force a decider.

But it was third seed Stosur who came through in the crunch, holding her nerve to close out the final set 6-4.

"It was a tough match," Wozniacki told the WTA Tour's official website.

"She started very well and I just couldn't do anything.

Wasteful

"I got the momentum in the second set and turned it around, but I just didn't take my chances in the third.

"We've had tough matches in the past and we're both improving, so it was a 50-50 match."

Awaiting Stosur, who is bidding for her first WTA Tour singles title, is fourth seed Francesca Schiavone, a 6-2 6-1 winner over Sania Mirza of India.

Schiavone, who has lost three of her four previous meetings with Stosur, said: "I hope to do better than in our last few matches.

"I will have to play well and fight a lot. You have to find a good feeling to win in the final."