What an escape

Serena Williams produced the fightback of her life to set up a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final meeting with big sister Venus at the Australian Open here Friday.

The Williams sisters' monopoly of the silverware looked set to be broken by Belgian teenager Kim Clijsters as the fourth seed raced into a 5-1 final set lead in her semifinal against world number one Serena.

Clijsters had two match points on serve with the score at 5-2 in the decider but was unable to take either of them as the top seed produced a fabulous return and an instinctive volley to hang on and then break.

Clijsters, the girlfriend of Australian world number one Lleyton Hewitt, had another opportunity to serve for the match in the 10th game, but fumbled.

Two consecutive double faults from Clijsters put Williams in the driving seat and when the Belgian hit another return long the American had miraculously squared the final set at 5-5.

Williams held and then broke serve, producing a string of winners to reach her fourth consecutive Grand Slam final and her first appearance in the Australian Open final with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win.

"It was an unbelievable battle out there," said Williams.

Williams - who earlier told television interviewers that she thought she had lost when trailing in the third set - later said she had never completely thrown in the towel as Clijsters took command of the final set.

"I kept fighting. I thought, 'I don't want to lose 6-1.' Then I said I don't want to lose 6-2. So I just kept fighting. Next thing I know I came back.

"I've always been a fighter. I just keep fighting, I don't know where it comes from. It's innate.

"I just never think I'm going to lose. I just don't want people to think I'm too cocky. It's always something with us Williams sisters, you know 'They're too cocky.' Whatever," Williams said.

Clijsters was upbeat in defeat, saying she had been unable to respond when Williams raised her game in the final set.

"If she plays her best tennis it's very hard to beat her," said Clijsters.

"I could feel that she was really trying to step it up and that she was hitting the balls a lot more aggressively.

"There were almost no unforced errors at the end. That's when you have to say 'Too good.' That's why she's the world number one and why she's won the last three Grand Slams in a row now."

While Serena took the scenic route into Saturday's final, Venus opted for a brisk 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Justine Henin-Hardenne in her semifinal on the Rod Laver Arena.

Venus improved her record over Henin-Hardenne to 7-1, with her only loss coming in their first meeting on clay in the 2001 German Open, and is now looking ahead to Saturday's final.

"Four in a row is real nice and it's the best opportunity to take the title home," Venus said. "At least I am always in the position to be the victor. Hopefully, this time it will be different than the last three."

Serena reigned supreme in the finals of the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open last year.

Venus played down any suggestions of wanting to put Henin-Hardenne in her place in Thursday's semi-final.

"More than anything, I wanted to win the match. Whatever her performance, her level of play, it's really up to her.

"She has proved she's a great player, semi-finals, finals at Wimbledon. She definitely has the potential to be a Grand Slam champion. But more than anything I was just out there trying to win my match."