World number five Victoria Azarenka ended Julia Goerges's fine run on clay to claim a place in the final of the Madrid Open when she swept past the unseeded German 6-4 6-2 on Saturday. With torrential rain beating down on the Spanish capital and the sliding roof closed on the main court at the Magic Box stadium, Azarenka had too much aggression and power for the 27th-ranked German, winner in Stuttgart last month.
The Belarusian, who won back-to-back titles this year in Miami and Marbella, claimed one break of serve in the first set and two in the second and will play Petra Kvitova in Sunday's title match. Czech 16th seed Kvitova upset an erratic Li Na of China 6-3 6-1 in Saturday's second semi-final which was played out in front of thousands of empty seats in the futuristic, metallic-silver 12,500-capacity stadium.
Azarenka, who plays in the doubles final later on Saturday, is projected to rise to number four when the WTA rankings are updated on Monday and looks to be hitting a purple patch of form in time for the French Open later this month. Speed had been the key to her victory over Goerges, against whom she was a set up in the second round in Stuttgart before being forced to withdraw with a shoulder injury, Azarenka said at a news conference.
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