Serena tops Cornet in Charleston, reaches third consecutive final

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Serena Williams reached her third consecutive final and won her 14th straight match when she beat Alize Cornet of France 7-5, 6-3 at the Family Circle Cup on Saturday.

In Sunday's final, she faces Vera Zvonareva, who beat Russian compatriot Elena Dementieva for the first time 6-3, 6-7 (7-2), 6-3.

Williams was 4-1 lifetime against Zvonareva.

This will be Zvonareva's third final of the year, and fourth since her last title at 2006 Cincinnati. She has played two three-set matches in as many days, but said she has the energy to beat Williams.

"I'll just have to stay focused the whole match," Zvonareva said. "I'll have to not have ups and downs in the match and play as even as possible."

Fifth-seeded Williams rallied from 4-1 down against the unseeded Cornet in their semifinal.

Williams broke Cornet twice at love before taking the set. In a second set featuring long baseline rallies, Williams broke Cornet in the eighth game, then held serve at love to take the match.

"In just the whole match I thought she played really well, and I just wasn't playing my game," Williams said. "I got caught a little bit on the defensive a lot, and I wasn't doing anything I should have been doing."

Cornet, an 18-year-old ranked No. 40 in the world, also made the semifinals at Amelia Island last week. She was runner-up earlier this year at Acapulco, her best showing on the tour since joining it last year.

Saturday was the first time she faced Williams.

"It was a little bit of a surprise for her because she didn't know me," Cornet said. "I was like making the pressure on her and it was working and after 4-1, you know, she played better."

Cornet said she has learned a lesson by reaching two consecutive semifinals. "I have to fight and I have to play my game, and I think I have the level now for beating the best, so it's a lot of confidence for me," she said.

Williams said she will surely be facing Cornet again.