Huber comeback continues

Huber also reached the final in Paris in 1997

Anke Huber continued her comeback from injury when she beat Magdalena Maleeva 6-4 7-5 to reach the final of the Paris Open indoor tournament.

The 26-year-old German is playing her first tournament for more than five months after a sprained right wrist forced her out of last year's US Open.

The former world number four now needs to win her next match to record the 13th WTA Tour title of her career.

Her last title came in July last year.

She has reached this stage in Paris before, being runner-up to Martina Hingis in 1997.

Deja vu

It was the second successive semi-final defeat for Maleeva.

Last week she lost to world number one Martina Hingis in three sets in the semi-finals in Tokyo.

Huber gained the vital break at 4-4 in the first set when Maleeva sent a forehand wide.

The German then took the set on her third set point when the Bulgarian missed with a service return.

"I made a lot of errors but I was always aggressive on the big points

  Anke Huber

Huber broke immediately in the second set and then struck again to go 3-0 up.

But a series of unforced errors allowed her Bulgarian opponent to battle back and move ahead 5-4.

Huber regained her composure and reeled off three successive games to seal victory.

"I'm very happy to make the final, even if I didn't play my best match," she said.

"I made a lot of errors but I was always aggressive on the big points, particularly when I was behind."

The second semi-final will be an all-French affair between defending champion Nathalie Tauziat and Amelie Mauresmo.