Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki reached the final of the Pan Pacific Open against former champion Elena Dementieva when she survived a late comeback to beat Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4 yesterday.

Dementieva, who won here in 2006, beat French Open champ Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 7-5 in the other semifinal.

Wozniacki could overtake Serena Williams as No. 1 in the world rankings if she lifts the trophy and reaches the quarterfinals or better in Beijing next week.

Wozniacki raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set before the eighth-seeded Azarenka closed the gap to 5-4. The Dane held serve and won when Azarenka returned long.

“At 5-love I felt really good, I thought the match was mine,” Wozniacki said. “Then Victoria started playing well and all of a sudden the score is 5-4 and I knew I had to close it out with my serve.

“The third set was really tough. It was like a new match, a new game.”

Both players struggled on serve. Azarenka conceded 12 double faults, including one that allowed Wozniacki to level the second set 6-6.

The Belarusian won the tiebreaker to send the match into a third set.

“I may have come back from 5-1 or 5-2 before, but never 5-love,” Azarenka said. “I lost my concentration but it’s hard to keep your concentration for that long.”