Wozniacki, Venus set for Auckland showdown, more overnight results

Author:
Courtney Nguyen
Publish date:
Jan 9, 2015

Check out some of the headlines and results from the top tournaments around the world on Friday that you may have missed while you were sleeping.

Roger Federer and a slew of youth head into the Brisbane semifinals.

After surviving a three set opener against John Millman on Thursday, Federer returned to his vintage form and defeated Australian wildcard James Duckworth 6-0, 6-1 in just 39 minutes in Friday's quarterfinal.

Kei Nishikori always made quick work of his quarterfinal match and beat Bernard Tomic 6-0, 6-4 in just 58 minutes, while Milos Raonic had a more difficult time with No. 85 Sam Groth and needed two hours to claim a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (2) victory over the Australian. Fourth-seeded Grigor Dmitrov will round out the men's semifinal field after he beat Martin Klizan 6-3, 6-4.

Caroline Wozniacki and Venus Williams set to clash in the Auckland final.

After Wozniacki needed three sets to beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first semifinal of the ASB Classic, Williams cruised into the final with a 6-0, 6-3 win over fellow American Lauren Davis. Venus leads their head to head 5-0 and Wozniacki has never won a set against her.

Ana Ivanovic and Maria Sharapova will battle for the Brisbane title.

Top seed Sharapova raced to a 6-1, 5-1 lead over 20-year-old Elina Svitolina on Friday before claiming a 6-3, 6-1 victory. Sharapova will meet Ivanovic in the final after the No. 2 seed beat American VarvaraLepchenko 7-6(2) 6-4.

ivanovic pova brisbane.jpg — SAEED KHAN/AFP/Getty Images

Simon Halep and Timea Bacsinszky into Senzhen Open final.

No. 1 seed Halep defeated Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-3 while eighth-seeded Bacsinszky defeated two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova 6-4, 6-4 in their first meeting. While Halep will play for her ninth career title and first of the season, Bacsinszky's only career title was almost six years ago and she will play for her second.

Poland books a spot in the Hopman Cup final.

Poland will have a chance to avenge its 2014 Hopman Cup final loss after Jerzy Janowicz secured a spot for the Poles against the U.S. in the Hopman Cup Final at the Perth Arena on Saturday. Poland needed one victory again France in their final round-robin tie on Friday, and after Agnieszka Radwanska lost a marathon three-set match to Alize Cornet 6-4, 2-6, 7-5, Janowicz beat Benoit Paire 6-4, 7-6 (6) to earn a spot in the final.