Williams battles into final

Defending champion Venus Williams was forced to battle for the second successive match to book her place in the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tournament.

The top-seeded American recovered from a mid-match slump to overcome world number 164 Edina Gallovits 6-4 2-6 6-2 on the red clay in Acapulco.

Williams, who will meet eighth seed Polona Hercog in the final, had also struggled in her quarter final when she recovered from 5-1 down in the third set to defeat the 399th-ranked Spanish qualifier Laura Pios Tio.

Hercog, 19, reached her first ever WTA Tour final when she defeated fifth seed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3 7-5.