AUSTRALIAN OPEN women's singles favourite Kim Clijsters should book her place in the final when she tackles Russian Vera Zvonareva in the early hours of Thursday.
Belgian Clijsters, a three-time US Open champion and a finalist in Australia in 2004, has beaten No.2 seed Zvonareva in six of their nine meetings.
In fact the pair met in the 2010 US Open final where Clijsters retained her crown with an impressive 6-2 6-1 win.
The No.3 seed is best-priced 8-11 with Paddy Power with her Russian opponent 7-5 at boylesports.
That Flushing Meadows result could play on the mind of Zvonareva and Clijsters to win in straight sets again is a tempting 6-4 with a number of bookmakers. A 2-1 victory for the favourite pays 16-5 with sportingbet.
Zvonareva is unlikely to win in straight sets and Betfred offer 7-2 for such an outcome. Should the outsider produce a shock Clijsters would almost certainly take a set so 2-1 pays 4-1 with bet365.
Before Kim and Vera hit the court my tournament tip Caroline Wozniacki tackles Li Na and I reckon there's a cracking opportunity to cash in here.
World No.1 Wozniacki, who trails her Chinese opponent 2-1 in meetings, appears to be the outsider for this semi-final and is available at 13-10 with Paddy Power. Li Na is 8-13 with Betfred, Blue Square, Paddy Power and 888sport.
Wozniacki lost in the last 16 to her opponent a year ago in Melbourne but I wouldn't read too much into that result.
The 20-year-old Dane was world No.4 back then and is also eight years younger than Li Na.
I would be surprised if Wozniacki was to crash out so close to the final but I reckon the semi-final will go to three sets. She is 3-1 at William Hill to advance in straight sets and 4-1 with bet365 and Paddy Power to win 2-1.
Li Na is 13-8 with bet365, Skybet and Blue Square to win in two, 10-3 with Skybet to reach the final in three sets.
Ace bet: Clijsters and Wozniacki to win in three sets.
£10 double with William Hill at 13.4-1 returns £144.00.
