Garbine Muguruza of Spain serves to Angelique Kerber of Germany during their semi-final match at the Wuhan Open yesterday. Muguruza will meet Venus Williams (right) of the US, who saw off Roberta Vinci of Italy in the other semi-final, in today's final. (Reuters)

DPA/Wuhan, China


Spain’s limping Garbine Muguruza broke through into the top five yesterday as the hampered Wimbledon finalist defeated German Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-6 (7-5) to reach the final of the Wuhan Open.
Muguruza, hammered at the All England Club in July by Serena Williams, lines up showdown with elder Williams sister Venus with both protagonists carrying substantial injuries.
Muguruza was treated in the second-set tiebreaker for an ankle problem while Williams, 13 years older than her opponent, heads into her first final since January with a leg muscle worry and nearly three hours of semi-final tennis in her veteran’s legs. Both will be playing their second final of 2015. Muguruza’s win came after beating Kerber at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Muguruza played through pain as she rallied from 3-5 down in the second set and was close to tears as she secured her victory with a massive return winner after a little more than two hours.
“It was a really tough match and I had to struggle today,” said the Spaniard. “Venus is a legend. I’ll have to go out there and do my best to win against her and I think it’s going to be a great final.”
The 35-year-old Williams, holder of seven Grand Slam titles, struggled for nearly three hours to extract revenge on behalf of her sister, defeating US Open finalist Roberta Vinci 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
The elder Williams was playing for family pride after Vinci knocked Serena Williams out of the Open semis last month, ending a shot at an historic calendar-year Grand Slam title sweep for the American.
Devastated Serena Williams called a sudden halt to her 2015 season this week in the wake of the loss three weeks ago which apparently still stings deeply. “If I could I’d give this win to Serena for the US Open,” said Williams, who played her last final in Auckland in January. “I’m so excited to be playing the final and have a chance at another title.”
Williams beat 15th-seeded Vinci thanks to seven aces and saving seven break-points while breaking the Italian eight times in the bad-tempered see-saw battle in central China. The match was marred by dicey line calls, with Hawk-Eye electronic scoring not in use owing to the death this week on site of one of the company’s team members.
Vinci showed her annoyance at what she might have taken as time-wasting from Williams, with an icy handshake at the net marking the end of the struggle. Williams was also seen to be favouring her left leg.
Vinci had won 10 of her last 11 matches, with he only defeat coming in the Open final against compatriot and good friend Flavia Pennetta.
Williams lost a 3-1 lead in the final set and had to break back to force the deciding tiebreaker.
Williams, with 46 career trophies from 76 finals, is competing for only her fifth time in China—she lost in the Wuhan first round a year ago—but had never been past a quarter-final in the country.

Ferrer, Lopez deliver
Spanish double in Malaysia
In Kuala Lumpur, top seed David Ferrer led a Spanish double into the semi-finals of the Malaysian Open yesterday by matching compatriot Feliciano Lopez with victories.
Ferrer, chasing one of four spots in next month’s eight-man season finals in London, strengthened his provisional eighth position by beating Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 6-4.
Lopez, seeded second, advanced over Canadian eighth seed Vasek Pospisil 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-2 and next plays Australian-Malaysian Nick Kyrgios, after the controversial seventh seed defeated serving supremo Ivo Karlovic, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2).
Despite his defeat, the 36-year-old Karlovic moved to within 35 aces of matching fellow Croatian Goran Ivanisevic on the all-time best of 10,237 career aces. He pounded down 13 against Kyrgios.
“It feels really good to be in the semi-finals,” said Kyrgios. “I knew today was going to be tough. I thought he served really well, but I thought I also served really well and looked after my serve.
“It was a fun match as well; it was really good. I thought I stayed composed and today was a really good performance,” said the Australian who saved three break points to advance in 85 minutes.
The 20-year-old, who caused a stir this summer with an on-court sledge over the personal life of French Open champion Stan Wawrinka, will be playing his second semi-final of the season after reaching the Estoril final in the spring.
Lopez prevented Pospisil from reaching a final four this season,
“I think I played a great match,” said the 34-year-old Spaniard. “I think I improved my game from my first match yesterday. Even though I lost the first set, I was getting better and better as the match went on. I’m very happy.
“Against Nick it’s going to be tough. He’s an aggressive player. I have to be aware of that and try to be aggressive on the court and put some pressure on him. Hopefully I will have my chances. It’s an exciting match to play against one of the young guns on the tour.”
Benjamin Becker moved into his first semi-final of the season, to meet Ferrer, after starting the week with a dismal 8-18 record. The German knocked fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov out of the ranking top 20 with a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) win.