Published: 3 June, 2009, 19:34
Edited: 3 June, 2009, 19:34
Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova has stepped into the semi-finals of the French Open after a three set win over second-seeded Serena Williams.
Before the match she said she loves to play against her American rival despite the fact that it is Serena, who usually comes out victorious.
But the Russian broke this sad tradition in style. The opening set was tied and eventually ended in a tie break, which Kuznetsova took 7-3.
World No. 2 Williams was shaken by this failure, and was unable to find her game in the beginning of the second, allowing the Russian to win three games in a row.
But then the American launched an impressive comeback winning the set 7-5.
And she didn’t stop in the decider. Serena broke Kuznetsova in the first game and then held her own serve, to lead 2-0.
However, the Russian played with confidence and regained control of the match.
She got her first match point at 5-4 on William’s serve, but finished off her rival three games later, breaking Williams to win the set 7-5.
And two surprise Roland Garros quarterfinal entrants clashed in another match of the day.
Australian Samantha Stosur, who had beaten Russian Elena Dementieva on her way to the quarters, got the better of 19-year-old Romanian Sorana Cirstea in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3.
She now goes into the semis as an underdog with the difficult task of beating Svetlana Kuznetsova.