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Comeback kid Safina stuns Elena Dementieva


Dinara Safina produced another amazing escape act at Roland Garros on Wednesday to move into her first grand slam singles semi-final by beating Elena Dementieva.

The Russian 13th seed faced match point midway through the second set for the second successive match but hit back to stun fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-0 after more than two-and-a-half hours.

Her reward is a semi-final clash with fourth-seeded compatriot Svetlana Kuznetseva after she beat Estonian Kaia Kanepi in the days other womens quarter-final 7-5, 6-2.

For the second time this week, though, the day belongs to 22-year-old Safina.

The Russian, who showed her clay court credentials when she won the Tier 1 Berlin event in the run-up to the French Open, looked down and out when she trailed by a set and 5-2.

She saved a match point at 5-3 just as she did on her way to victory against Maria Sharapova in the fourth round then levelled the match by taking a tense tie-break 7-5.

There was only one winner from that moment as Safina raced through the final set without dropping a game.

During the afternoon of day 11 top seed Roger Federer booked his semi-final place with a four-set victory over Fernando Gonzalez.

The Chilean 24th seed started strongly, but once Federer found his range he was unstoppable during a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 success.

The world No.1, who needs the French Open title to complete a full set of grand slam trophies, has now reached an incredible 16 consecutive grand slam semi-finals.

Federer will have to cope with the whole of France against him on Friday, though, when he will take on surprise semi-finalist Gael Monfils in the last four.

The explosive young Frenchman ended the run of fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 late on Wednesday to reach his first grand slam semi.


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.