Venus Williams came back from one set down to defeat Caroline Garcia 6-7 6-2 6-3 after two hours and 30 minutes. Venus will meet another former World Number 1 Caroline Wozniacki in her third final at this tournament and the first since 2009. Venus won this title in 2008 when she beat Vera Zvonareva. She was beaten by her sister Serena one yera later.
Garcia and Williams met for the first time since 2014. They were tied 1-1 in their previous head-to-head matches played in that year. The French player beat Williams in Wuhan in three sets 6-4 4-6 7-6, while the US legend prevailed by 6-4 6-3 in Beijing.
Venus fended off three break points in each of the last two set points and broke Garcia three times to reach her third final of the year after the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Garcia had an easy hold to start the match and broke serve at 30 with a forehand down the line to open up a 2-0 lead. Garcia went down 15-40 in the third game and saved the first break point with an ace. Williams hit a forehand down the line into the open court to break back to convert the second break point in the third game for 1-2. Williams saved a break point to hold serve for 3-3. In the eighth game Garcia earned two break points at 15-40 but Williams saved them to hold serve for 4-4. Garcia fended off a break point at 30-40 in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead, as Williams hit a backhand into the net.
Garcia had a good chance for a triple set point in the 10th game, but she netted a running forehand. Williams got to game point but Garcia hit a forehand down the line wnner to get to deuce. Garcia earned the first set point, when Venus netted a forehand. The US legend saved it to tie 5-5 after the longest rally of the match. Garcia rallied from 0-30 down to hold serve for 6-5 but Williams won her service game to draw level to 6-6 to force the first set to the tie-break. Garcia got a mini-break to open up a 3-0 lead, as Venus hit two consecutive double faults. Garcia made a double fault and made a vooley error but hit a return to open up a 4-2. Garcia raced out a 5-2 lead after Venus missed her forehand. The US player clawed her back to 3-5 after Garcia made a drop-shot error, but the French player closed out the first set after more than one hour after Williams made two more errors.
Williams fended two break points to hold serve for 1-0 at the start of the second set. Garcia made a couple of loose errors in the second game to trail 0-2. In the third game Garcia get to 30 on her serve but Venus hit a cross-court backhand to hold serve for 3-0. Garcia held in the fourth game, as Venus missed on a high backhand volley. Garcia got to deuce in the fifth game but Williams hit an ace to earn a game point and held serve. Garcia held serve at love for 2-4. Williams saved a break poiint a 30-40 to hold serve for 5-2. Garcia saved two set points but Williams sealed the second set on her third set point, as Garcia sent a backhand long.
The third set went on serve with no break points, before Williams got the first break with a good return game for 5-3 to earn a chance to serve for the match. She saved three break points from 0-40 down to reel off five points and wrap up the match. Garcia converted just one of her 13 break points.
Williams will face Caroline Wozniacki in a vintage title match between two former world number 1 players. Williams leads 7-0 in her previous head-to-head matches against the Dane.
Garcia has competed so well in the whoe tournament, and every time I thought I was getting close she played amazing. It’s not over, until the fat llady sings, but I am not fat. In the final I am going to be playing against one of the best players in the tournament, and another Caroline. It’s going to be deja vu, but I am really happy. She is a great friend and I am really happy that one of us will win tomorrow”.
