Kuznetsova, Safina reach Tokyo final

TOKYO, Sept. 20 (UPI) -- Fifth-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova and countrywoman Dinara Safina will meet in Sunday's tennis final at the $1.34 million Pan Pacific Open.

Kuznetsova, who upset top-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinal round, beat Slovenian qualifier Katarina Srebotnik 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in Saturday's semifinals. Srebotnik had upset third-seeded and Olympic gold medalist Elena Dementieva in the quarterfinals.

The other semifinal match pitted a pair of Russians, as the fourth-seeded Safina needed only 52 minutes to beat Nadia Petrova, 6-1, 6-0. Petrova upset sixth-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska to get to the semifinals, Safina was this year's French Open and Olympic runner- up.

The 2008 champion at this tournament will collect $196,900.