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 15 May 2008 18:31 BST

Safina ends Williams' winning streak in Germany

Friday, 09 May 2008 20:44
Serena Williams will be looking for an improvement when the French Open starts on May 26th
Serena Williams' 17-match winless streak is over after losing 2-6 6-1 7-6 (7/5) to Russia's Dinara Safina in the quarter-finals of the German Open.

The American was overpowered by the 22-year-old, who claims her second scalp in two days after beating Justine Henin yesterday.

Safina, ranked 17th in the world, will play Victoria Azarenka in tomorrow's semi-final.

Williams looked to be heading to her fourth straight win over Safina after wrapping up the first set by breaking the Russian twice.

Safina then stunned the former world number one by racing to a 5-0 lead in the second set, with Williams making a host of unforced errors including four double faults.

The American finally got her serve together but Safina served out the set to force a decider.

In a nervy final set, Safina earned two match points in the tie-break which she converted at the first time of asking to seal victory in two hours and ten minutes.

The Russian said she is not getting carried away despite knocking out Williams and Henin.

"At the beginning of the game, I was playing like 'oh, I won yesterday' and I had to play differently to get back in the game," Safina said.

"When you work hard and practice all the time, but you don't get the breaks you think 'why, why, why?'

"This sort of result just shows me that I am moving in the right direction."

Williams, ranked fifth in the world, admitted she served poorly.

"I definitely lost that match, rather than she won it off me, it just wasn't my day out there," the 27-year-old.

"It wasn't pretty for me out there at all.

"It leaves Roland Garros wide open, I am relieved I lost here and not in Paris, when ever I lose it always propels me to play better."

Elsewhere, Serbia's Jelena Jankovic is out after losing 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 to Russia's Elena Dementieva. End of story

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