Defending champion Venus Williams will face Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships.
Williams had to deal with the unfamiliar surroundings of an outside court as she overcame Shahar Peer 6-1 6-4 with a dominant semi-final performance today.
Peer has been the centre of attention for off-the-court as well as tennis reasons this week after becoming the first Israeli woman to compete in the United Arab Emirates.
She was denied a visa last year, prompting the WTA to fine tournament organisers US dollars 300,000, and her appearance this week has coincided with a heightened sense of security following the murder of a Hamas commander in Dubai last month.
Williams, who had said she would only defend her title if Peer was able to play at the tournament, paid tribute to her opponent.
"She really played so well, beating two top-10 players," the third seed said on sonyericssonwtatour.com. "The main difference between playing me and the other top players was maybe my serves, the power, and maybe my speed.
"But, had I not had those things, I could have been another top-10 player packing today."
Azarenka has been in impressive form this year, reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, and she was also a straight-sets winner today, beating Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3 6-4.
The fourth seed said of facing Williams: "Against Venus, you have to play your best tennis to really show a great fight because she's a great champion. She knows how to play in big matches."
The American, who is aiming to win her 42nd WTA Tour title, won their only previous meeting at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
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