Top-seeded Victoria Azaranka beat seventh-seeded Ana Ivanovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 on Saturday to advance to the final in the Southern California Open.
Azarenka, ranked No. 3, won a sloppy match as both players committed more unforced errors than hit winners. The two-time Australian Open champ will face the winner of the late match between wild-card entrant Virginie Razzano and fifth-seeded Sam Stosur.
The win will propel Azarenka, the former world No. 1, past Maria Sharapova into the No. 2 slot when the new rankings come out Monday.