NEW HAVEN (Connecticut), Aug 26: Second seed Justine Henin-Hardenne will play defending champion Lindsay Davenport in an intriguing final at the New Haven event after both came through their semi-finals on Friday.

Belgian Henin-Hardenne, in her first event since Wimbledon, hammered former US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-3 in the late match.

The French Open champion was in top form as she crunched winners from all parts of the court, cruising through to her eighth final of the year.

Davenport, in only her second tournament back after five months out through injury, edged out Australian Samantha Stosur 7-6, 7-6 to avenge her defeat by the Australian in Los Angeles two weeks ago.

After a rain delay of more than three hours, Davenport, who beat world No 1 Amelie Mauresmo in the previous round, let slip an early break in the first set but won the tiebreak 7-3.

She missed five match points in the second set before taking another tiebreak 9-7 when a Stosur return sailed just long.

In the men's event, second seed Nikolay Davydenko moved to within one win of his third title of the year after he beat Swede Robin Soderling 7-6, 6-2.

Davydenko will play Argentine 10th seed Agustin Calleri after he advanced to the final when Belgian Xavier Malisse retired injured after losing the first set.

Friday’s semi-final results:

Men’s singles: 2-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat 15-Robin Soederling (Sweden) 7-6 (8-6), 6-2; 10-Agustin Calleri (Argentina) beat 13-Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 6-2 –Malisse retired.

Women’s singles: 2-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Belgium) beat 5-Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) 6-3, 6-3; 7-Lindsay Davenport (US) beat Samantha Stosur (Australia) 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (9-7).—Reuters