SYDNEY (AFP) — World number one Justine Henin stretched her winning streak to 27 matches as she beat fourth-ranked Ana Ivanovic to set up a one-versus-two final with Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Sydney International on Thursday.
Henin claimed her 56th WTA Tour final appearance with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 win over the 20-year-old Serb.
Kuznetsova overcame unseeded Czech Nicole Vaidisova in the other semi-final, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
It is the first time since February 2006 in Antwerp that the two top ranked players have met in a WTA final.
"She's (Svetlana) a good friend. I like her a lot. She's been very consistent in the last few years and she has a very heavy game," Henin said of her closest ranking rival.
"She's pretty aggressive, takes her opportunities, so I know it's going to be a tough match."
Kuznetsova trails Henin 15-2 in career match-ups, but is unperturbed by the disparity.
"We've had a few very close matches and I've won twice. She's number one so that's good. I have opportunities to beat her," Kuznetsova said. "She's going to be the favourite and that's fine with me.
"I just have to work on my game to try to improve so maybe one day I can be where she is," she added.
The Belgian is chasing her third win in the Sydney tournament, having won the title here against Amelie Mauresmo in 2004 and Francesca Schiavone in 2006.
Henin overcame Ivanovic despite a faltering 47 percent serve which conceded 11 double-faults and was broken three times.
But just as Henin looked in danger when Ivanovic levelled at a set all, she broke the young Serb in the third game of the final set when she netted an attempted backhand pass.
"At the beginning of the second set I lost my intensity and concentration, at this level if you give a little they take a lot, so in the third set I worked more on my attitude," Henin said.
"I was positive, a little bit more aggressive, came to the net more and I served better so was much better in the third set."
Henin surged to victory from there as Ivanovic struggled and netted with a backhand on match point. She now leads Ivanovic 4-0 in career meetings.
Henin went into the final on the back of just one match against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi after a bye and a walkover against Lucie Safarova in the opening rounds of the tournament.
"It was important to get this close match before the Australian Open, that's what I really need now and I'm glad I'm in the final tomorrow so that gives me a perfect preparation for the Open," she said.
Ivanovic was pleased to have three close three-set matches to prepare her for the year's first Grand Slam.
"I was really happy that for almost the whole match except the last game I managed to keep my level," Ivanovic said.
"I didn't have many up and downs like I did in the previous matches, so that's something positive after all the hard work in the off-season."
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