Serena advances to Sydney final

SYDNEY (AP) -Top-ranked Serena Williams has rallied from a set and 5-2 down to beat France's Avarane Rezai 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 and reach the final of the Sydney International, a key Australian Open warmup.

Rezai was serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set before reigning Australian Open champion Williams rallied to win five straight games to level the match and go a break up in the third.

Rezai recovered breaks in the first and seventh games of the third set but Williams broke her to lead 5-4 and then served it out.

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Williams, winner of 11 Grand Slam singles titles, will play Friday against the winner of the other semifinal between Olympic champion Elena Dementieva and sixth-seeded Victoria Azarenka.

The Australian Open starts Monday in Melbourne.

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