SPORTS

PONTE VEDRA BEACH: Caroline Wozniacki had one foot out the door Saturday, but managed to hang on for a three-set victory over Elena Vesnina and a chance for a second straight title at this WTA Tour green clay tournament.

"I thought I was out already," said the top-seeded Dane, who trailed 5-3 in the second set before rallying for a 1-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 victory over fourth-seeded Vesnina.

"I thought I was headed to Charleston. I said 'keep fighting, do what you can,' but it didn't look like my day at the office."

Wozniacki will play Olga Govortsova of Belarus in Sunday's final. Govortsova defeated third-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-4, 7-5 in the other semi-final.

Russia's Vesnina used a precision game to build her second set lead and was serving for the match when Wozniacki broke her and began her climb back.

"That's when I felt like I had a chance," Wozniacki said. "I was just missing everything by one, two inches and once I said 'OK, I'm back in the rally' she killed the shot so I didn't feel like I could do anything.

"It has to turn around at some point. I need to get the chance at some point but it just didn't look like it until 5-3."

Vesnina said she didn't go in for the kill when she should have.

"At 5-3, I became too passive," she said. "I started to wait for mistakes from Caroline. She's a good fighter. She's like a wall."

Govortsova, playing without a coach this week, rallied from a 4-2 deficit to win the first set. She then fought off Cibulkova, who played with a heavily taped right groin, to take a second set that was highlighted by a 20-point eighth game.

"Sometimes it's good for you to be alone," said Govortsova, whose coach, Eddie Jakes, had other duties to deal with this week.