Bartoli, Wozniak reach Stanford final

By Matthew Cronin

STANFORD, California (Reuters) - Marion Bartoli overpowered Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3 6-3 to move into the final of the Stanford Classic on Saturday.

The sixth-seeded Frenchwoman will meet Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak, who advanced when top seed Serena Williams was forced to retire with a knee injury down 6-2 3-1.

In reaching her first final since Wimbledon 2007, Bartoli used a strong inside the baseline attack to repel the 33-year-old Sugiyama.

"I played really well, but she gave me a hard time," said the 15th ranked Bartoli, who was 0-5 against Sugiyama entering the match.

"The last time I played her I wasn't at the same level. I wasn't moving as fast, not serving the same way, I was making more unforced errors and not hitting as hard. Everything is improved now."

Bartoli served well in tight spots, tore at her opponents second serves and mixed it up just enough off the ground to confuse her foe.

She broke Sugiyama to 2-1 in the second set with a backhand down the line winner and never looked back, fighting off a break point at 5-3 and breaking Sugiyama to win on her third match point when the Japanese erred on a forehand.

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