Williams scrapes past Ivanovic to reach Zurich final

By Mark Ledsom

ZURICH (Reuters) - Venus Williams battled to a thrilling 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over second seed Ana Ivanovic at the Zurich Open on Saturday to reach her first final since winning Wimbledon in July.

The third seed squandered a 3-0 lead in the opening set before raising her game to avenge her Australian Open quarter-final defeat by Serb Ivanovic.

Williams, still looking to ensure a place at the season-ending WTA Championships, will have the chance for further revenge on Sunday when she takes on unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta.

Pennetta, the world number 17 who beat Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-3 7-6, has won her last three meetings with Williams.

"Ana played a great, aggressive game today," said Williams who lost five games in a row in the first set.

"She came very close but I hope my experience was what got me through," the American told reporters.

Williams made a strong start, breaking Ivanovic early to take her 3-0 lead.

DOUBLE-FAULT

The collapse that followed owed as much to her own wayward play as Ivanovic's improvements, with the Wimbledon champion first gifting her opponent a break by netting a simple winner.

Williams then made things even easier for her opponent by double-faulting at the end of her next service game, leaving Ivanovic to serve out comfortably for the set.

Following an early trade of breaks in the second, Williams got back on level terms when Ivanovic overhit a forehand to concede the decisive break.

The deciding set went with serve for the first six games until Ivanovic again mishit a forehand to put Williams in front for the first time.

The Serb saved three match points in her next service game, benefiting from a lucky net-cord on the third occasion, but Williams held her nerve to clinch victory with four successive service winners.

"Flavia has worked very hard for the last few years and I'm sure she deserves to be in the final but I'm just hoping tomorrow I deserve the win more," said Williams.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)