Another Serena comeback

PARIS (AP)

Ill and sluggish, Serena Williams overcame a big deficit to reach the French Open final by beating 23rd-seeded Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 yesterday.

With the temperature nearing 85 degrees on the hottest day of the tournament, Williams walked ever so slowly to changeovers, where even lowering herself to sit down seemed to be difficult.

Trailing by a set and a break at 3-2 in the second after 66 minutes, Williams completely turned things around to claim the final 10 games.

final match

Now one victory from her third French Open championship and 20th major title overall, Williams faces 13th-seeded Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic in tomorrow's final.

It's Williams' 24th Grand Slam final, and Safarova's first. The left-handed Safarova eliminated defending champion Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, then held on to defeat 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 7-5 in the semi-finals.

Williams won despite dropping the first set for the fourth time in six matches at Roland Garros.