Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

Venus reaches seventh Wimbledon semi

Tue 1st, July 2008

Wimbledon, England (Sports Network) - Reigning champion Venus Williams was a quarterfinal winner Tuesday at Wimbledon, where the powerful American is seeking a fifth title in nine years.

The seventh-seeded Williams handled previously red-hot Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-3 amid sun-drenched conditions on Court 1 at the All England Club.

Williams slammed eight aces and broke Tanasugarn four times to move on in 1 hour, 35 minutes. The Thai veteran could manage only one break on "Ladies' Day" and piled up six double faults en route to the predictable defeat.

The 31-year-old Tanasugarn was appearing in her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal and riding a nine-match winning streak, all on grass, including a surprise title in The Netherlands two weeks ago.

The six-time Grand Slam titlist Williams will now appear in her seventh Wimbledon semifinal in 12 trips to the AEC. She is a perfect 6-0 in her previous semis here and a brilliant 56-7 overall at Wimbledon.

The 28-year-old Williams defeated France's Marion Bartoli in last year's finale and also titled here in 2000, 2001 and 2005. She was the 2002 and 2003 runner-up to her younger sister Serena, who she could meet in Saturday's final.

Venus' semifinal opponent on Thursday will be fifth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva. The American is 5-2 lifetime against Dementieva, including a victory in the gold medal match at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Dementieva snuck past 21st-seeded fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 on the famed Centre Court.

The 26-year-old Dementieva roared out to a laughable 6-1, 5-1 lead against Petrova, who somehow fought back in the second set to force a tiebreak. Dementieva blew a match point in her second-set collapse, but after losing that stanza, she once again assumed control in the deciding third.

Dementieva charged out to a 4-0 advantage in the final set and this time held on, converting on her second match point of the day with a final forehand winner after 2 hours, 32 minutes of action.

The two-time major runner-up Dementieva, who typically struggles with her serve, tallied nine double faults on Day 8, but managed to break Petrova's serve six times, while having her serve broken on three occasions. Petrova also piled up 42 unforced errors en route to defeat.

Dementieva, who reached French and U.S. Open finals in 2004, will appear in her first-ever Wimbledon semi and her fifth career major semifinal.

Where the players come to play and STAY.

Sports Information you need to win BIG.

Sports Contests – Think you know the game?

Poker Promotion

Find NC State basketball tickets at TickCo and watch the college basketball season wrap up with Final Four tickets!

Contact Us | Help | Site Map| Sport Links

Sportsbook Directory | Casinos Directory | Poker Room Directory | Racebook Directory | Partners Directory