Caroline Wozniacki Battles Into Final Four

Caroline Wozniacki was forced to battle from a set down against Francesca Schiavone to book her place in the final four of the Australian Open.

Schiavone showed no sign of fatigue after her mammoth fourth round match with Svetlana Kuznetsova as she fought off three early break points before getting a break of her own.

Moving 5-3 ahead the French Open champion served out the set. The top seed and world number one was forced to take a medical time out at the end of the set for an injury to her upper leg.

Wozniacki fell further behind at the start of the second as she was broke again as Schiavone took a 3-1 lead. But Wozniacki dug deep to win the next five games and take the match into a third and deciding set.

In the third Wozniacki regained control as she broke twice to lead 5-2 - which left her serving for the match.

But victory wasn't going to come easily as Schiavone battled back to save three match points and break back to keep her hopes of an upset alive.

But She couldn't consolidate the break as Wozniacki broke back immediately to wrap up a 3-6 6-3 6-3 win to reach the final four.

Speaking to the Brisbane time Wozniacki said: "I could feel that," Wozniacki said. "I don't know if it's the hip flexor. It's on the side of the leg anyway.

"I felt it when I was serving and I fell down on my leg. I wanted to tape it up because I've had something similar before, so I knew that if I tape it up it will be okay.

"First the tape was too restricting and too tight. I got some painkillers that helped me and after 15, 20 minutes I didn't feel it. So then it was okay."

She will now face Li Na for a place in the final as the ninth seed saw off Andrea Petkovic in straight sets. Li dropped her serve at the start of the first to fall 2-0 behind before taking the next six games to win the opening set 6-2.

Into the second and Li dropped her serve once again - but once again managed to retrieve it to get the set back on serve.

The set remained with serve until 4-5 when Li took full advantage of a couple of loose forehands from Petkovic to break and seal a 6-2 6-4 win.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw