Intro:

China's Li Na and Germany's Angelique Kerber will contest the final of the Cincinnati Masters after tough fought semi-final victories on Saturday.

Script:

Venus Williams met Li Na in the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Saturday.

It was the first time Williams had made the last four of a tournament in 2012 and she may have been feeling the pressure as Li took the first set 7-5.

But Venus attacked her Chinese opponent in the second set before a back injury forced her to take a break.

Williams recovered to level the match at one set all.

However, the months of illness and injury that have blighted Williams of late caught up with the seven time Grand Slam champion as Li Na wrapped up a 7-5 3-6 6-1 victory.

It maintained Li's 100% record in semi-finals this year.

Germany's Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic battled it out to meet Li Na in the final.

Kerber has climbed to seventh in the rankings on the back of victories in Paris and Copenhagen and she dominated the opening set 6-1.

Kvitova rallied in the second set and her powerful serve helped her to take the set 6-2.

Kerber rediscovered her form in the third - racing out to a 5-2 lead before eventually winning the deciding set and the match 6-1 2-6 6-4.

The 24-year-old will bid to win her third tournament of 2012 on Sunday, while Li is looking for her first title of the season.