Puchkova beats Venus in Brazil semis

FLORIANOPOLIS: World number 109 Olga Puchkova of Russia battled back to beat top-seeded American star Venus Williams 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 on Friday to reach the final of Brazil Cup.

The 25-year-old Puchkova, a runner-up in Kolkata and Quebec City in 2006, will face Romania's Monica Niculescu in Saturday's final.

Niculescu defeated French seventh-seeded Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-0, 6-2 in her semi-final. (AFP)