WTA Pan Pacific Open: Radwanska, Zvonareva reach final

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WTA Pan Pacific Open: Radwanska, Zvonareva reach final

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Radwanska upset Azarenka and will face Zvonareva in the finals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

30 September,2011 06:48 pm

Radwanska, seeded ninth, defeated Azarenka 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in a 2 1/2-hour match. Radwanska dropped serve four times -- three times in the second set -- but saved all three of Azarenkas break-point chances in the third set.Zvonareva, the No. 4 seed, advanced to her 30th WTA title match with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 victory over fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova. Zvonareva fell behind 1-5 in the first set but fought off three set points with Kvitova serving.The comeback seemed to charge Zvonareva, who took nearly 70 percent of the points in the second set. She lost only four points over Kvitovas three service games.Saturday will mark the fifth meeting overall and fourth this year between Radwanska and Zvonareva. Their series is tied 2-2 but Radwanska won the last two times they played, including the title match at Carlsbad, Calif., in August.A win in the finals would send Zvonareva from fourth to No. 2 in the world rankings.The Pan Pacific Open champion will earn $360,000 with the runner-up settling for $180,000. Azarenka and Kvitova each took home $90,000 as semifinalists.