PALO ALTO, Calif., July 31 (UPI) -- Serena Williams downed Germany's Sabine Lisicki in straight sets Saturday, reaching the finals of the Bank of the West Classic along with Marion Bartoli.
Williams dispatched Lisicki in a 1-hour semifinal match, reaching her first singles final since winning Wimbledon in 2010.
She will face a well-rested Bartoli in Sunday's final. The Frenchwoman's opponent, Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova, withdrew from her semifinal contest with an abdominal strain.
Bartoli, who won the California event two years ago, bested Williams in the round-of-16 at Wimbledon in straight sets this year. Williams, however, beat Bartoli in Miami in 2003 and at the U.S. Open in 2007.
The 169th-ranked Williams will be playing for her 38th career title while ninth-ranked Bartoli is looking for title No. 7.
