Wozniacki, Venus reach Auckland semis
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Auckland, New Zealand (SportsNetwork.com) - Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams were quarterfinal winners Thursday at the ASB Classic and are each a win away from meeting in the final of the season-opening event.
The top-seeded Wozniacki claimed a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Germany's Julia Goerges, while the third-seeded Williams earned a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Russian veteran Elena Vesnina.
Wozniacki had lost three of her previous four matches against Goerges, but four breaks of serve allowed the former world No. 1 to advance. Next up for the Dane will be fourth-seeded Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, who won the final five games of her quarterfinal against American CoCo Vandeweghe to pull out a 6-4, 7-5 decision. Vandeweghe, the seventh seed, won just three points over the last five games.
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Williams had to rally in the second set against Vesnina, who had beaten the American star in two of their last three meetings. The seven-time Grand Slam champion was down 2-4 in the second set, but won the final four games.
Next up for Williams be fellow American Lauren Davis, who rebounded from a set down to notch a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Polish qualifier Urszula Radwanska.