TENNIS – When the Madrid draw came out, everyone knew that the match ups would be tough for all opponents but few predicted that the last 4 ladies standing in the semifinals would all be former and current major winners. 19-time major champion Serena Williams will take on 2-time major winner Petra Kvitova (Wimbledon) as 5-time champ Maria Sharapova face fellow Russian 2-time winner Svetlana Kuznetsova (US Open and French Open). Diego Sampaolo
Williams who won the Madrid tournament twice in 2012 and 2013, broke serve four times and saved all three break points she saved en route to a 6-1 6-3 victory over Carla Suarez-Navarro. Williams has extended her winning streak to 50 consecutive matches in Premier Mandatory events. Williams hit 43 winners to 27 unforced errors. It was a easier win for Williams in comparison to the hard-fought match against Viktoria Azarenka in which the US star had to fight off three match points down to win in the tie-break of the third set.
“I learned a lot from yesterday. I just really have to stay focused. I had a lot of opportunities in that match. I probably should have closed it out in two sets but Victoria is a big fighter”, said Williams
Williams will face Petra Kvitova who beat Irina Camelia Begu 7-5 6-3 to qualify for her third semifinal in Madrid in the last five years.
Kvitova, who won the Madrid Mutua Open in 2011, rallied from a break down to win the opening set with 7-5 before cruising past Begu in the second set with 6-3.
Williams is on collision course for a possible final showdown against defending champion Maria Sharapova who rallied from losing the second set to edge past Caroline Wozniacki 6-1 3-6 6-3.
Sharapova hit a series of winners to race out to 2-0. Wozniacki won her only game of the first set but Sharapova raced out to 6-1. Wozniacki fought back forcing the match to the third set
Sharapova broke Wozniacki five times but she dropped her serve at the start of the third set. However Sharapova got the decisive break in the 8th game.
“I had a good start but my level obviously dropped and I became much more inconsistent and passive. I think that a little bit of a switch helped and just being a little bit more aggressive and going a little bit more for my shots. It was more of a mental change. Just looking for the next shot and creating a few more extra steps in my footwork. I became more aggressive at the end. ”, said Sharapova.
Sharapova will face her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in an all-Ruusian semifinal. Kuznetsova battled past Lucie Safarova in three sets with 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3). Safarova was two points from winning the match In the second set and led 5-2 in the second set tie-break. The Czech player held two match points at 5-4 in the third set before Kuznetsova won the match with 7-3 in the tie-break.
Sharapova leads 6-4 over Kuznetsova in their previous head-to-head matches.
