Melbourne, 27 January 2011 | Eloise Johnstone

Australian Daniela Di Toro has booked a berth in the finals of the Australian Open Women’s Wheelchair Singles after she beat Marjolein Buis 6-3 6-2 today.

Second seed Di Toro will play world No.1 Esther Vergeer from the Netherlands.

She will have her work cut out for her against Vergeer, who easily defeated Jiske Griffioen in the other semifinal, 6-2 6-2.

Vergeer has been the world’s top ranked player since 1999 and won five Paralympic Gold medals.

However, Di Toro is also coming off the back of a very successful year, making the Australian Open quarterfinals, the semifinals at Roland Garros and was runner-up at the US Open.

She won the doubles title at Roland Garros last year.

The dreadlocked Di Toro has played in three Australian Open finals from 2002-2004 but has never broken through to win her local Grand Slam.

Vergeer and Sharon Walraven defeated Di Toro and her partner, Brit Jordanne Whiley, 6-3 7-6(2) in the semifinals of the doubles.