Italy’s Flavia Pennetta reaches final in China Open Tennis

 BEIJING: Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki was knocked out of the China Open quarterfinals by Flavia Pennetta of Italy 3-6, 6-0, 7-6 (2) on Friday.

Wozniacki was two points from victory when leading 30-0 in the final game of the third set, but Pennetta won the game and then the tiebreaker.

"I did my best today, but it just wasn't good enough," the Dane said. "I had my chances and didn't take them."

Pennetta will face 11th-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, who advanced after Ana Ivanovic retired with back pain while trailing 6-3, 3-2.

Also, Monica Niculescu of Romania rallied to beat Maria Kirilenko of Russia 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

In the men's tournament, third-seeded Tomas Berdych reached the semifinals by routing Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 6-0.

Berdych, like top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, is still in the running for one of the four remaining spots at the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Also, Ivan Ljubicic defeated Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-2.