Williams edges through to a final with Wozniacki

VENUS WILLIAMS yesterday became the oldest woman to reach the final of the season-ending WTA Championships after a gruelling battle in Singapore.

The American came from a set down to beat France’s Caroline Garcia in a match lasting a minute shy of two and a half hours.

Garcia took the opening set on a tie-break but Williams hit back to take the next two and seal a 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3 victory, the 37-year-old recovering from 0-40 down to serve out the match.

Garcia, 24, was left to rue converting just one of her 13 break points.

‘She competed so well this whole tournament and every time I thought I was getting close she would play amazing,’ said Williams (above) after closing out the victory. ‘It’s not over till the fat lady sings and I’m not fat. I watch my figure!’

Williams now faces Caroline Wozniacki after she survived a ‘crazy’ opening set to beat Karolina Pliskova.

Wozniacki saved three set points in the 10th game and three more after squandering a 6-1 lead in the tie-break, before taking it 11-9 after an hour and 20 minutes. The two players then traded breaks at the start of the second set before Wozniacki made a decisive move. The Dane broke to love in the eighth game and served out for a 7-6 (11/9) 6-3 win over her Czech opponent.The outcome ensures Simona Halep will end the year as world No1, with Pliskova now unable to catch her. ‘That was a little bit crazy,’ said Wozniacki afterwards. ‘It was kind of a roller-coaster and I’m just happy that I got that first set under my belt.’

Meanwhile, Kyle Edmund failed in his bid to reach a first ATP final as he lost 6-7 (9/11), 6-4, 6-3 to Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the semi-finals of the Vienna Open.