Bondarenko meets Henin

Russian third seed Kuznetsova never looked comfortable against her aggressive opponent, winning just one of six break points and finishing the match with 46 unforced errors.

Bondarenko broke in the opening game and again for 5-2. She began the second set in style by breaking for 1-0.

Kuznetsova had an opportunity to level at 3-3 but netted a forehand return on break point. She finally managed to break as Bondarenko served for victory at 5-4 but the Ukrainian took the tie break with a winning forehand.

Henin withstood a strong challenge from Serbian Jelena Jankovic to win 7-5 2-6 6-4 and reach her fourth final of the year.

The Belgian, winner in Dubai and Doha, could have claimed victory more easily after sweeping to a 4-0 lead in the first set and then holding points to lead 2-0 in the second.

Instead, fourth seed Jankovic held, broke to lead 2-1 and went on to secure the set with a further break for 5-2.

Henin again let her advantage slip in the deciding set. She went 3-1 up but Jankovic broke her in the next game, and when Henin held a break point to lead 5-3 she dumped a weak return into the net.

As the set seemed destined for a tiebreak, Jankovic made two forehand errors to drop her serve at 5-4.

"I was expecting a tough match because she gave me a lot of trouble in the past," Henin told reporters. "I started the match pretty well, I was very aggressive and she made a couple of mistakes, but tactically it was pretty perfect what I was doing.

"Then I lost my intensity but finally I could finish the first set - not the way I wanted, but I won it. I didn't play well at all in the second set ... and then in the third set it was a good fight," she added.