Wozniacki beats second seed Pliskova to reach Miami final

(Reuters) - Caroline Wozniacki capitalised on her renowned endurance as she made few unforced errors in wearing down Karolina Pliskova to win 5-7 6-1 6-1 in the Miami Open semi-finals on Thursday.

Danish 12th seed Wozniacki frittered away three set points in the first set, but she made amends to eventually ease past the Czech second seed on the Crandon Park hardcourt.

The result exacted a measure of revenge for Wozniacki, beaten by Pliskova in the Doha final last month.

"Fitness is something I'm working really hard on every day. It's a huge part of my game," Wozniacki, a sub-3:30 marathon runner, said in a courtside interview.

"It was definitely a mental grind. Having two or three set points in that first set and ending up losing it is kind of depressing, but I got a good start to the second set and that got me fired up and I just kept playing."

Wozniacki's final opponent will be the winner of Thursday's second semi between 11th-seeded American Venus Williams and Britain's number 10 seed Johanna Konta.

Wozniacki, a part-time south Florida resident, said she considered the Miami Open a local tournament.

"It's extremely special," she said of reaching her first Miami final. "Having a place here and training here in the off season, it's a home court."

The Dane said she might watch a bit of the Williams-Konta match, but more likely would leave the scouting report to her father Piotr and assistant coach Sascha Bajin.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by Ken Ferris)