Vera Zvonareva ended Kim Clijsters' nine-match winning streak Friday, securing the year-end No. 2 ranking by beating the U.S. Open champion 6-4, 7-5 at the WTA Championships. Zvonareva has yet to drop a set after three group matches in the event for the top eight players and ensured that she will take on No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in one semifinal Saturday. Clijsters will face Samantha Stosur in the other. Earlier, Elena Dementieva surprisingly announced her retirement after bowing out to French Open champion Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-2. Zvonareva, who lost to Clijsters 6-1, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final, used a strong net presence and powerful backhand to beat the Belgian for third time since Clijsters came out of retirement last year. Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=5741117
