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Sports / Tennis
Venus sees off Jankovic
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-09-06 14:18
NEW YORK - Twice champion Venus Williams overcame early jitters to beat
nemesis Jelena Jankovic 4-6 6-1 7-6 on Wednesday and secure a clash with
world number one Justine Henin in the US Open semi-finals.
Venus Williams of the U.S. celebrates defeating Jelena Jankovic of Serbia
after their match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament in Flushing Meadows,
New York, September 5, 2007. [AP]?
Williams won the decisive tiebreak 7-4 to snap a three-match losing
streak against the third-seeded Jankovic after a trio of Russians,
Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze and Nikolay Davydenko, had booked
their places in the last four.
Kuznetsova, the 2004 champion, ended the inspired run of Agnes Szavay to
set up a semi-final against Chakvetadze, while Davydenko beat German
Tommy Haas and next faces the winner of Wednesday's evening match between
world number one Roger Federer and Andy Roddick.
Williams, who had lost to Jankovic in their two previous grand slam
meetings, praised the Serb's ability to fight back after her second-set
washout.
"Jelena is an unbelievable competitor," Williams said after the two-hour,
27-minute match under the lights in Arthur Ashe Stadium. "It went the
distance. It was awesome."
Williams lost the opening game of the match against Jankovic and looked
short of rhythm with 18 unforced errors in the first set. She recovered
brilliantly in the second, however, and both players went through the
decider without a service break.
Jankovic was gracious in defeat.
"Well done to Venus," she said. "She played unbelievable. She fought
well. She deserved to win."
The 22-year-old Kuznetsova never lost her serve and needed only 67
minutes to oust Szavay, an 18-year-old Hungarian, 6-1 6-4 on the stadium
court.
"I had so much energy out there today and I thought I was nervous but I
could control it," said fourth-seeded Kuznetsova. "I feel so fresh for
the semi-final. I'm ready to go to give it my best shot."
Sixth-seeded Chakvetadze, 20, advanced to the last four of a grand slam
for the first time by overwhelming Israeli 18th seed Shahar Peer 6-4 6-1.
On the men's side, fourth seed Davydenko continued his stroll through the
draw with a 6-3 6-3 6-4 quarter-final victory over Haas, the 10th seed.
Davydenko broke Haas's serve eight times and fired 42 winners to oust the
German in the US Open quarters for the second year in a row.
"The guy's a tough player," Haas said. "You just have to hand it to him
today. Every time I would tried to do something different or fight my way
out of it he came up with an answer."
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