By Chris Davies
January 11 2004

Ashley Harkleroad and Eleni Daniilidou will battle each other to win the Auckland after two tough battles to progress into the final Harkleroad still only 18 and in her first WTA tour final battled past France teenager Marion Bartoli 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. A turning point in the match was a crucial time for both players with the

Bartoli stormed to a 5-0 lead in the first set finally wining 6-3 and looked on course for a straight sets victory.

The American found herself down 3-1 and 15-40 on serve in the second set when rain halted play forcing Harkleroad to pick her game up and think during the break.

The other semi-final saw one of the longest tiebreaks in the WTA tour history during the first set.

Daniilidou the winner of two tour titles including this tournament last year overcame the Argentian Suarez 15 - 13 in the tiebreak.

Both players struggled to hold serve in the second set before Daniilidou, playing her fifth match in two days, claimed the set and the match on Suarez's 44th unforced error, wining 7-6 (15-13), 6-4.