Kuznetsova, Safina Set Up Semi-Final Date!

June 4th, 2008

Paris, France

Day 11 of the 2008 Roland Garros featured an anticipated match between two Russian women, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina. Both have been playing well this past week and a half and deserved to be in the Quarter-Finals. It was Dementieva however who got the break in the first set and took it, 6-4. And just like deja vu. Safina came back from a set down to win the second set in the tiebreak, 7-6(5), just as she had won the second set in a tiebreak over Sharapova in the round earlier. The third set was a surprise, Safina became more aggressive and Dementieva faded away, which in turn allowed Safina to dictate and win the match, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1. Safina now enjoys her first Grand Slam Semi-Final.

In the other Quarter-Final, Svetlana Kuznetsova, the heavy favorite took on surprise Quarter-Finalist, Kaia Kanepi. The match wasn't as anticipated as the all Russian one, but surprisingly, it was a tense contest. Kuznetsova has been playing arguably the best out of everyone this tournament and even when she was down in the match, she fought back and took control, eventually winning the match, 7-5, 6-2. Kuznetsova faces Dinara Safina in their Semi-Final.

Tomorrow's Semi-Finals will feature on one side, and all Russian battle and on the other, an all Serbian battle. If I were to make predictions right now, I would say the Final on Saturday would be between Ana Ivanovic and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Results:

Court Philippe-Chatrier

(13)Dinara Safina d. (7)Elena Dementieva - 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1

Court Suzanne Lenglen

(4)Svetlana Kuznetsova d. Kaia Kanepi - 7-5, 6-2

Top 10 Seeds:

1. Maria Sharapova - Lost in Round of 16 (Safina)

2. Ana Ivanaovic - Semi-Finals

3. Jelena Jankovic - Semi-Finals

4. Svetlana Kuznetsova - Semi-Finals

5. Serena Williams - Lost in Round 3 (Srebotnik)

6. Anna Chakvetadze - Lost in Round 2 (Kanepi)

7. Elena Dementieva - Lost in Quarter-Finals (Safina)

8. Venus Williams - Lost in Round 3 (Pennetta)

9. Marion Bartoli - Lost in Round 1 (Dellacqua)

10. Patty Schnyder - Lost in Quarter-Finals (Ivanovic)