Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova will face each other in the final of the WTA Championships in Istanbul.
Williams, the American world number three, booked her place in Sunday’s final with an emphatic 6-2 6-1 win over Agnieszka Radwanska in 61 minutes.
Sharapova, the world number two from Russia, had to work much harder before overpowering world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-2 in her semi-final.
The match featured a sixth game in the second set that lasted 15 minutes.
Sharapova served two double-faults but finally broke Azarenka’s resistance after nine deuces to take a 5-1 lead.
Azarenka, who had secured the year-end top ranking the day before with her win over Li Na, seemed to be hindered by a strained right thigh and was unable to prevent her opponent’s victory.
“I have lost to Victoria a few times so I was happy to get the chance to play against her,” said Sharapova, who went into the match having lost to the Belarusian four times out of five this year.
“Against the world number one, you have to run down every ball. She’s number one for a reason so I had to be ready for every shot.
“It will be a difficult match against Serena. She’s been on fire, she’s the one to beat.”
Sharapova, the French Open champion, will now seek to win her second WTA Championship title, having also won it in 2004.
