Kuznetsova battles into final

Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova pumps her fist after winning a point against compatriot Anna Chakvetadze during the women's singles semifinal of the US Open at Flushing Meadows on Friday.Photo: AFP

Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova struggled into the US Open women's final by taking an error-filled 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 semifinal victory Friday over sixth-seeded compatriot Anna Chakvetadze.
Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion, will play for the title on Saturday night against the winner of a later semifinal between world number one Justine Henin and US 12th seed Venus Williams.
That later showdown between six-time Grand Slam champions, the reigning French Open champion from Belgium and reigning Wimbledon champion Williams, took on even more of a championship match feel after the Russians' sloppy match.
"It was extremely tough," Kuznetsova said. "I played the worst first set. I couldn't put the ball in. I was really embarrassed."
Neither player could overcome nerves and windy conditions. Chakvetadze, playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal, made 46 unforced errors, 20 of them in the last set. Kuznetsova had 35 unforced errors but just 10 in the last set.
Despite the horror show, Kuznetsova will advance to a career-best second in the rankings, edging past Maria Sharapova to became the highest-ranked Russian player, and Chakvetadze will break into the world top five for the first time.
Kuznetsova played her way into a hole from the start by spraying 21 unforced errors in the first set but Chakvetadze returned the favour with 17 unforced bungles of her own to surrender the second.
Chakvetadze, a perfect 6-0 in career finals, made only one winner in the first set and then lost 12 of the last 14 games.
Kuznetsova won the first three points of the last set, prompting Chakvetadze to throw her racket. After that, Kuznetsova fell apart, losing seven of the next eight points to surrender a service break.
But Chakvetadze allowed Kuznetsova to break back and later swatted her 10th unforced error of the set, a wide forehand, to give Kuznetsova a 3-1 edge.
Kuznetsova held and broke again for a 5-1 edge and mercifully ended matters after 96 minutes.
After exchanging breaks with Kuznetsova to begin the match, Chakvetadze broke her compatriot's next two service games and raced to a 5-1 edge.
Kuznetsova, 22, held and broke back to 5-3 but double-faulted on break point to hand Chakvetadze, 20, the first set after 31 mistake-filled minutes in which Chakvetadze hit only one winner.
But after Chakvetadze held to open the second set, Kuznetsova began a rally by denying Chakvetadze on four break points, then holding to start a run in which she won 22 of 25 points, breaking three times to claim the second set.