Good For Ana
Ana Ivanovic is on to the semis.
Melbourne, Australia - American Venus Williams had her run toward a first Australian Open title derailed on Wednesday as she was beaten in straight sets in the quarterfinals by fourth-seeded Serbian Ana Ivanovic.
With court temperatures above 100 degrees, Williams arrived to the match sporting a wrap on her upper left thigh, and the eighth seed dropped a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 decision.
Ivanovic, who reached her third Grand Slam semifinal and first in Melbourne, will take on Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia in the next round. The ninth- seeded Hantuchova reached her first career Grand Slam semifinal with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 29th seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
It marked the second consecutive day a Williams sister was beaten at the first Grand Slam event of 2008. Serena Williams, last year’s champion, was dethroned by Serbian Jelena Jankovic in straight sets.
The other semifinal will feature the third-seeded Jankovic against fifth- seeded Russian Maria Sharapova, a finalist last year. Sharapova ousted top- seeded Belgian and 2004 Melbourne titlist Justine Henin in two sets on Tuesday.
Venus dropped a tight first set which saw six straight breaks of serve before the American finally held to square it at 4-4 at Rod Laver Arena. Each player held serve from there, but Ivanovic won five straight points during the tiebreaker. She banged a forehand winner for a 4-2 lead and Venus followed with two shots into the net. Venus approached the net, but failed to get a backhand over it for the final point of the set.
It was a great start for Venus in the second set, as she took the first three games, but Ivanovic used a break to come back for a tie and then broke serve to go ahead 5-4. The Serb set up match point and when Venus hit a wild forehand wide, Ivanovic secured her first win over the American in five career meetings.
Before Wednesday, Ivanovic hadn’t beaten Venus in a set, but now she’s a victory away from her second Grand Slam final. Ivanovic lost to Henin in the French Open final last year.
Venus’ best performance in Melbourne was reaching the final in 2003. She didn’t lose a set in her previous four matches at this fortnight.
Hantuchova broke her opponent’s serve in the third game of the opening set and cruised from there to win in 87 minutes.
Hantuchova reached her first career Grand Slam semifinal, while this was Radwanska’s first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Looking ahead, Ivanovic is 2-1 all-time against Hantuchova with all three meetings coming last year. Ivanovic won the final two.
Sharapova is 3-1 all-time against Jankovic, but the Serb took the most recent matchup, last year on the grass courts in Birmingham, England. This will be the second time the two play each other at a major, as Sharapova prevailed in three sets in the second round at the 2004 U.S. Open.
Jankovic has never advanced past the semifinals at a Grand Slam, reaching the round of four at the 2006 U.S. Open and last year’s French Open. Sharapova is going after her third Grand Slam title, having captured Wimbledon in 2004 and the 2006 U.S. Open.
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