Ivanovic bowls into semi-finals
Wednesday, 23 Jan 2008 12:08
Ana Ivanovic beats Venus Williams to reach Melbourne semi-finals
Ana Ivanovic despatched former finalist Venus Williams in straight sets to book her place in the Australian Open semi-finals.
The Serbian number four seed, who had never before beaten the American, battled hard to record a 7-6 6-4 victory and earn a shot at Russia's Daniela Hantuchova in the last four.
Ivanovic came out on top in turbulent first set - neither player was able to gain any consistency on serve as six of the first seven games went against the head.
Despite coming out on top in the tiebreak, Ivanovic looked shaky at the start of the second set as Williams raced to a 3-0 lead.
But a stylish recovery from the 20-year-old Serb ensured she took a 5-4 lead before serving out for the match.
The defeat for number eight seed Williams means she is still chasing her maiden title in Melbourne - her only trip to the final saw her lose to younger sister Serena in 2003.
"I would love to win here. I still think I can," she said afterwards.
"Unfortunately, it won't be this year."
Hantuchova, the number nine seed, secured her place in the semi-finals with a far more comfortable 6-2 6-2 win over Polish number 29 seed Agnieszka Radwanska.
Their only previous meeting ended in a 6-3 6-3 win for Radwanska in Zurich last year, but Hantuchova continued her good form with a dominant display of big-hitting prowess.