Rome, May 15 (IANS): Serena Williams advanced on Saturday to the Italian Open final with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu and will try to clinch her first title of the season when she squares off against Madison Keys in an all-American final on Sunday.
The world No. 1 and top seed, who lost the Australian Open and Indian Wells finals to Germany's Angelique Kerber and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, respectively, needed just 1 hour and 27 minutes to eliminate Begu, according to EFE news agency.
In Saturday's first semifinal, third-seeded Spaniard Garbiñe Muguruza fell against unseeded American world No. 24 Madison Keys 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 and thus missed out on a chance to reach her first final of the season.
Keys, who had never advanced past the second round in Rome, also will be vying for her first title of the season on Sunday.