Victoria Azarenka, the world's second-ranked in women's singles, dominated a semifinals match against Flavia Pennetta, winning in straight sets, on Friday to earn a second consecutive trip to the finals in the U.S. Open.
In a match that featured 13 lost serves, Azarenka earned a 6-4, 6-2 victory and will advance to face the winner of Friday's match between No. 1 Serena Williams and No. 5 Li Na. In 2012, then top-ranked Azarenka lost to fourth-ranked Williams in the finals, 2-6, 6-2, 5-7.
Pennetta advanced to the semifinals with four consecutive straight-set upsets of No. 4 Sara Errani, No. 10 Roberta Vinci, No. 21 Simona Halep and No. 27 Svetlana Kuznetsova. Azarenka proved too much, though, even after committing 25 unforced errors against Pennetta.
Azarenka defeated Williams in their last meeting in August, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6, in the finals of the 2013 Western & Southern Open. She defeated Na in the finals of the Australian Open in January, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
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