AUCKLAND: Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and second-seeded Julia Goerges will meet Sunday in the final of the WTA Tour's ASB Classic after working their way through quarterfinals and semifinals Saturday in a schedule compacted by rain delays.
Quarterfinal play was postponed because of rain on both Thursday and Friday, forcing organizers to schedule both two rounds of matches on Saturday and to push the final back a day.
The experience of No. 3-ranked Wozniacki and No. 14 Goerges came to the fore in those trying conditions.
Goerges beat Polona Hercog 6,4, 6-4 in her quarterfinal, then qualifier Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan 6-1, 6-4 in the semis.
Wozniacki dropped the first set before beating 19-year-old wildcard Sofia Kenin 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in a quarterfinal then overcame qualifier Sachia Vickery 6-4, 6-4 in a tight semifinal.
The No. 122-ranked Vickery marked herself as a player to watch this year when, after winning three matches in qualifying, she beat defending champion and fellow American Lauren Davies on the way to the semis.
Wozniacki held a 5-1 lead in the first set before Vickery stormed back to 5-4. Vickery went toe-to-toe with the former world No. 1 before dropping serve at 5-4 in the second set.
"I'm exhausted," Wozniacki said. "If I'm being honest, it's tough at this stage of the season.
"After the first match I thought 'Oh gosh I feel my back, I feel my legs.' We didn't play for a couple of days which was nice and then coming out here and playing three sets this morning and playing two long sets just now ... I'm not 17 anymore!"
Goerges reached the Auckland final for the second time in the last four years and will face Wozniacki for the third time at the tournament with their head-to-head record at 1-1.
"Since I've been coming here for nine years, maybe it's time," Goerges said. "I'm feeling good. It's another final for me, now three in a row and I can just be happy."