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Wan LixinOpinion deputy editor of Shanghai Daily
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Serena faces Li after ousting Zheng
Source: Agencies |
April 1, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WORLD No. 1 Serena Williams struggled to a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win over China's Zheng Jie on Monday to earn a place in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne in Florida.
Another contender fell with Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva making a surprise exit at the hands of Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-4. Serena's sister Venus came from a set down to beat Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, keeping alive the chances of an all-Williams semifinal.
It all started as business as usual for Serena, who broke Zheng's first two serves to take a 5-0 lead in the first set. But then the powerfully-built American lost control ?? and her cool ?? as she gave up two serves and ended up level at 5-5, twice throwing her racket to the ground in frustration.
In the end her powerful serve saw her through the set but if the American thought that she had broken the will of the 25-year-old 17th seeded Zheng, she was sorely mistaken.
The first four games of the second set were all broken and it was level at 5-5 when Zheng, showing smart backhand work, produced another break and then held serve to even up the match at one set all.
Williams finally found some form in the decider and finished off in style with three aces to win the final game to love and claim her place in the last eight.
"I don't think I played great and I thought she played probably her best tennis yet," said Williams.
"I think I started out great and then maybe lost my focus. Next thing I know, I was 5-5 in the first set, which should have never been. I am just happy to get through it," she added.
Serena will face her third consecutive Chinese opponent in the tournament after Li Na beat Ekaterina Makarova 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 in her fourth round match. The 18-year-old Wozniacki came back from a break down in each set to reach her sixth quarterfinal of the season.
Wozniacki will play Svetlana Kuznetsova, who comfortably won her all-Russian fourth round tie with Alisa Kleybanova 6-2, 6-1.
Hungarian Agnes Szavay lost 2-6, 4-6 to Belarussia's Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka's quarterfinal opponent will be Australian Samantha Stosur whose impressive form continued with a 6-4, 6-4 win over France's former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo.
In the men's event, world No. 1 Rafael Nadal held off a strong challenge from Portugal's Frederico Gil to win 7-5, 6-3 and book a place in the fourth round.
Nadal will face Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, who rallied from a set behind to beat 20th seeded Russian Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
British fourth seed Andy Murray won 6-4, 6-4 against Chilean Nicolas Massu although he struggled at times against his 29-year-old opponent.
Murray will next face Serbia's Viktor Troicki, who beat German lucky loser Bjoern Phau 6-4, 6-3 to reach the fourth round here for the second year in a row.
Sixth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro booked his place in the next round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic. Fernando Verdasco came from behind in the all-Spanish clash with Feliciano Lopez to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Another contender fell with Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva making a surprise exit at the hands of Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 6-4. Serena's sister Venus came from a set down to beat Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, keeping alive the chances of an all-Williams semifinal.
It all started as business as usual for Serena, who broke Zheng's first two serves to take a 5-0 lead in the first set. But then the powerfully-built American lost control ?? and her cool ?? as she gave up two serves and ended up level at 5-5, twice throwing her racket to the ground in frustration.
In the end her powerful serve saw her through the set but if the American thought that she had broken the will of the 25-year-old 17th seeded Zheng, she was sorely mistaken.
The first four games of the second set were all broken and it was level at 5-5 when Zheng, showing smart backhand work, produced another break and then held serve to even up the match at one set all.
Williams finally found some form in the decider and finished off in style with three aces to win the final game to love and claim her place in the last eight.
"I don't think I played great and I thought she played probably her best tennis yet," said Williams.
"I think I started out great and then maybe lost my focus. Next thing I know, I was 5-5 in the first set, which should have never been. I am just happy to get through it," she added.
Serena will face her third consecutive Chinese opponent in the tournament after Li Na beat Ekaterina Makarova 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 in her fourth round match. The 18-year-old Wozniacki came back from a break down in each set to reach her sixth quarterfinal of the season.
Wozniacki will play Svetlana Kuznetsova, who comfortably won her all-Russian fourth round tie with Alisa Kleybanova 6-2, 6-1.
Hungarian Agnes Szavay lost 2-6, 4-6 to Belarussia's Victoria Azarenka. Azarenka's quarterfinal opponent will be Australian Samantha Stosur whose impressive form continued with a 6-4, 6-4 win over France's former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo.
In the men's event, world No. 1 Rafael Nadal held off a strong challenge from Portugal's Frederico Gil to win 7-5, 6-3 and book a place in the fourth round.
Nadal will face Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka, who rallied from a set behind to beat 20th seeded Russian Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
British fourth seed Andy Murray won 6-4, 6-4 against Chilean Nicolas Massu although he struggled at times against his 29-year-old opponent.
Murray will next face Serbia's Viktor Troicki, who beat German lucky loser Bjoern Phau 6-4, 6-3 to reach the fourth round here for the second year in a row.
Sixth-seeded Argentine Juan Martin del Potro booked his place in the next round with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic. Fernando Verdasco came from behind in the all-Spanish clash with Feliciano Lopez to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
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