By Chris Oddo | Saturday, May 17, 2014

 

Serena Williams overcome a solid second-set push from Ana Ivanovic to reach the Rome final, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3. Next up? Sara Errani.

Photo Source: Julian Finney/ Getty

Serena Williams dropped a set for the first time in over two years at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, but quickly regained traction to trounce Ana Ivanovic in the decider and roll to a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory on Saturday in Rome.

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Williams, who was beaten by Ivanovic earlier this season in the fourth round of the Australian Open, improves to 5-1 against the Serb for her career, and reaches her 77th WTA final with the victory.

Ivanovic managed to threaten Williams in the opening game of the match, earning a break point before eventually dropping a four-deuce game, but Williams would draw first blood when Ivanovic overcooked a forehand drive to hand Williams the first break of the match and a 3-1 lead.

After reeling off the next three games to take the opener, Williams would suddenly lose her touch as Ivanovic rallied to jump out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Though Williams stopped the bleeding, she couldn't avoid dropping her first set at Rome since the third round in 2012 (a streak that lasted 22 sets).

"She played really well in the 2nd set," said Williams. "[She] made a great return and I lost a little of patience and I had to regain it."

She did precisely that in the decider.

In the third a decidedly more determined Williams reversed course, storming Ivanovic with her full arsenal of weapons to take a commanding 5-0 lead, then serving the match out two games later, sealing the triumph with a whizzing ace down the T.

The victory sets up a final clash with Sara Errani on Sunday.

"She’s improved," said Williams. "She took her game on to a different level, she’s so much confident beating two top players, and is a very good clay court player. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow, she has nothing to lose, she has the crowd behind her."

Errani is the first home-grown female to reach the Italian Open final since 1985, and the first to do it in Rome since 1950. But the spunky clay-courter will have her hands full against the world No. 1. Williams, as the American owns a 6-0 career advantage against the Italian which includes a 6-0, 6-1 at last year's Roland Garros semifinals.