Azarenka, Goerges in Linz final

Linz (Austria), Oct 14 (IANS/RIA Novosti) World No.1 Victoria Azarenka defeated Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania in straight sets in the semi-final and will play Julia Goerges in the final of the Generali Ladies Tennis tournament here.

Top seed Azarenka hit an ace and overcame five double faults to beat Begu 6-2, 6-1 Saturday.

Azarenka overpowered Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-1 in the Beijing final last week and withdrew before her quarter-final in Tokyo the week before.

Earlier Saturday, fifth seed Goerges booked her place in the final as she beat Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium. The German dropped her first set at the tournament and hit one double fault to Flipkens' six in a 1-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory.

Goerges will play in her second singles final of the season after she was runner-up in Dubai in February, losing to Agnieszka Radwanska.

Azarenka has faced Goerges four times and won the last three encounters in straight sets after retiring with a shoulder injury in their first meeting in Stuttgart in April 2011.

The prize fund for the tournament is $220,000.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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