Hantuchova, Kanepi meet in Brisbane final

BRISBANE, Australia, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Unseeded players Kaia Kanepi and Daniela Hantuchova advanced Friday into the finals of the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Australia.

Kanepi swept past third-seeded Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-0 in less than an hour in earning her fifth WTA title-match appearance. Schiavone was coming off a tough quarterfinal match against Jelena Jankovic that took nearly 3 hours.

Kanepi was sharp, landing 72 percent of her first serves and winning 22-of-23 of the points when she did so. Kanepi didn't have to deal with a break point and converted five of her eight chances against Schiavone.

Hantuchova claimed her finals spot when fifth-seeded Kim Clijsters retired in the second set with a hip injury. Clijsters' 2011 season was cut short because of a series of injuries.

Clijsters won a first-set tiebreak against Hantuchova but an early second-set break allowed Hantuchova to go up 3-1 in the set and Clijsters said she couldn't continue.

Hantuchova didn't even have to play in the quarterfinals, receiving a walkover when Serena Williams withdrew with an ankle injury.

Hantuchova has won all three of her career matches against Kanepi. She's looking for her fifth WTA title. Kanepi is 1-3 in championship matches.

Clijsters said her left hip began to tighten "to the point I couldn't move forward with my upper body. So it was the smartest choice to try and not let it get any worse, to be ready for Melbourne."

She was referring to the Australia Open in Melbourne, which begins Jan. 16. Clijsters is the defending Australian Open champion.

"If everything comes out OK tomorrow [Saturday], it should take a little under a week to get completely healed. That's what I'm obviously hoping for and aiming for," Clijsters said.