CHARLESTON, S.C., April 20 (UPI) -- Patty Schnyder of Switzerland posted a 6-4, 6-3 upset over top seed and current world No. 1 Jennifer Capriati of the United States Saturday at the $1.22 million Family Circle Cup, setting up a title match with Iva Majoli of Croatia.
Capriati's loss paves the way for Venus Williams to move back atop of the WTA rankings when they are released Monday for the first time since March 18.
Sunday's final will be the first in the 30-year history of this claycourt tournament to be contested between a pair of unseeded players.
Majoli toppled seventh-seeded Sandrine Testud of France in the other semifinal, 6-2, 6-4.
Schnyder, who also advanced to the 1999 Charleston final, reached her first WTA championship match of the year. The Swiss No. 2 will try to capture her eighth career WTA title. She lifted her last trophy in November at Pattaya City, Thailand.
Ranked 30th, the 23-year-old Schnyder recorded her second upset in as many days. She edged American Serena Williams, the third seed, in Friday's quarterfinal at Daniel Island. Williams had won 12 straight matches overall and each of her five against Schnyder.
Schnyder had claimed an additional pair of impressive victories this week, both against French opponents. She beat sixth seed Amelie Mauresmo in the second round and 2000 French Open champion Mary Pierce in the round of 16.
Capriati, the defending champion, stumbled in her attempt to reach a fourth straight tour final. The Floridian defended her Australian Open title before finishing as the runner-up at Indian Wells and Miami.
Majoli recorded her first victory in the last six meetings with Testud. The 24-year-old, who has won seven career WTA crowns, is gunning for her first title since being sidelined for almost 12 months while recovering from shoulder surgery.
