TENNIS in DEPTH.

Kerber broke serve three times in the first set and rallied from 3-1 down in the second, clinching victory when the Russian hit a forehand long. Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic also advanced, rallying to beat sixth-seeded Julia Goerges of Germany 3-6, 7-5, 6-1. Zakopalova, who reached her first semifinals since the Korea Open last September, will next face second-seeded Marion Bartoli of France or Roberta Vinci of Italy. Zakopalova won seven straight games in sealing the second set and taking a 5-0 lead in the third. She ended the match when the German hit a forehand return long. Goerges took a medical timeout at 4-0 in the final set to have her left thigh massaged. She initially broke for a 2-0 lead and took the first set when Zakopalova netted a forehand. But Zakopalova evened the match when Goerges dropped serve at 6-5, hitting a forehand that caught the tape before dropping out.

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Goerges, the highest-ranked player left in the event entering the quarter-finals, was beaten 7-6 (8/6) 6-1. Martinez Sanchez, seeded six, also beat the German in their only previous meeting, in New Haven in 2008. The match featured nine breaks of serve with the opening set breaker proving crucial. After it went the way of the Spaniard, Goerges’ challenge wilted and Martinez Sanchez wrapped up the win in one hour and 50 minutes.

Fifth seed Polona Hercog defeated fourth seed Dominika Cibulkova for the loss of just four games and will now play Galina Voskoboeva – 6-2 6-3 winner against Vera Dushevina. The semi-final line-up was completed when Klara Zakopalova beat Vania King 6-2 4-6 6-1. She will play Martinez Sanchez in the last four.

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Caroline Wozniacki came out with her eighth Sony Ericsson WTA Tour title, winning the inaugural e-Boks Sony Ericsson Open in her native Denmark.

World No.3 Wozniacki, the top seed at the International event, drew large crowds and fought off inspired opponents all week, going to three sets three times en route to the final – against Iveta Benesova in the second round, No.5 seed Julia Goerges in the quarters and Anna Chakvetadze in the semis.

None of them could stop her though, and Wozniacki dusted off her eighth Tour title with a 62 76(5) win over No.7 seed Klara Zakopalova on Sunday morning, rallying from 4-2 down to win the second set and holding off a late surge from the Czech, who cut her lead in the tie-break down from 6-1 to 6-5 before falling.

Wozniacki is now 8-7 in finals. This was her third of the year, finishing runner-up at Indian Wells (losing to Jelena Jankovic) and winning Ponte Vedra Beach.

Zakopalova made her 10th career final with a 63 16 64 semifinal win over No.2 seed Li Na, a result that may have pleased Wozniacki – the Chinese has beaten the Dane in both of their 2010 meetings. Zakopalova is now 2-8 in finals.

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Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki reached the final of the Danish Open after seeing off Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze 6-1 2-6 6-4 in the semi-finals.

Wozniacki seemed to want an early finish as she breezed through the first set but the Russian qualifier hit back in the second set with three breaks.

The third set was also close but the Dane finally won to reach the final of the inaugural staging of the event. The 23 year old Russian, who was once ranked as high as #5 on the WTA tour showed why she was so highly ranked as she continued to force Wozniacki to play at a higher level in order to defeat her. The match was much closer then the score suggests, and based on her recent resurgence Anna Chakvetadze’s name will soon appear among the top players once again.

Her final opponent is Klara Zakopalova, who beat Li Na 6-3 1-6 6-4.

Wozniacki and Zakopalova have only met once before, at the Japan Open in 2007, with the Dane winning in three sets.

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