Battling Kuznetsova reaches Miami Open fi

MIAMI: Svetlana Kuznetsova held off a strong challenge from Switzerland’s Timea Bacsinszky in searing afternoon heat to book her place in the Miami Open final with a 7-5 6-3 victory on Thursday.The 15th-seeded Russian relied on a never-say-die attitude and a powerful baseline game as she improved her career record to 3-0 against the Swiss, ending the match with a crunching backhand cross court winner after nearly two hours on court.Kuznetsova, who won the Miami title in 2006, will next meet either Victoria Azarenka of Belarus or second seed Angelique Kerber of Germany who were scheduled to play their semi-final later on Thursday at Crandon Park.Kuznetsova, who pulled off a stunning upset when she ousted world number one Serena Williams in the fourth round, won a hard-fought opening set after ending a brilliant baseline slugfest between the two with an overhead smash.Though she failed to hold serve in the first game of the second set, the Russian broke her 19th-seeded opponent in the second and fourth games to lead 3-1, then fought back from 15-40 down on serve in the ninth to seal victory.Bacsinszky, who beat third-seeded world number two Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the fourth round, converted just two of 14 breakpoint opportunities during the match.