Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams win to set up semi-final clash
Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams, both two-time champions at the U.S. Open, have advanced to the semifinals and will now play each other on Friday. Both won their Tuesday matches.
Defending champion and second seed Kim Clijsters defeated Australian and fifth-seeded Samantha Stosur in a tough three-set match 6-4, 5-7, 6-3. For Clijsters, it was her 19th straight win at the U.S. Open. Williams defeated Italian and reigning French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the earlier match in two sets 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.
Clijsters, who also won in 2005 got off to a slow start and was trailing 1-3 to start the first set. However, she rallied to tie the set at 4-4. After holding serve she was once again able to break Stosur to take the first set 6-4.
Clijsters, trailed again early in the second but was able to bounce back as the two were once again tied at 4-4. Stosur was eventually able to break down Clijsters late in the set winning 7-5, to force a third and deciding set.
Once again, both players were able to break serve early in the third set, keeping the match tied 3-3. Clijsters was then able to find another gear winning the next three matches to advance. Clijsters remains perfect against Stosur improving her record to 4-0 in head-to-head matches.
Third-seeded Venus Williams, who won back-to-back titles from 2000-01 and reamins the last woman to achieve that feat, also had a tough match and like Clijsters, found herself trailing in the first set. Down 5-4, Williams was able to hold serve in the crucial 10th game of the opening set to eventually force a tiebreaker. The sixth-seeded Schiavone and Williams traded points and were squared at 5-5, before Williams took the final two points and won the tiebreak 7-5.
Williams was able to take the early lead in the second set and was able to hang on winning 6-4. Williams also remained perfect against her opponent improving her all-time record against Schiavone to 8-0.
"I know when I play her, I'm going to have to play good tennis," Williams said about her numerous encounters with Schiavone. "I really do enjoy our matchups. There have been times when she's had me down, but fortunately, I was able to come back."
Clijsters and Williams have played each other 12 times having split their all-time matches 6-6. However, Clijsters has taken their last four meetings including two wins at the U.S. Open, as well as a victory in Miami earlier this year.
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