Venus and Serena to meet in semis

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:24

Venus is gunning for her first title at Key Biscayne since 2001 and will go into the 20th All-Williams meeting full of confidence after casting aside her 26th-seeded Czech opponent in quick time.

By contrast Serena, the top seed, was far less convincing as she recovered from a set down, before also enduring a second-set tie-break, to eventually overcome the plucky challenge of Na Li 4-6 7-6 (7/1) 6-2.

In the men’s event, Novak Djokovic battled a stomach complaint late on to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3 6-4 and book his place in the semi-finals.

Djokovic will now face Roger Federer in the semi-final after the former world number one won his late quarter-final against Andy Roddick 6-3 4-6 6-4.

Federer, who lost to Roddick at this stage in the event last season but who has a good track record against the American, is hoping to win his first title of 2009 at the event in Miami.

He had little trouble in picking up the first set after breaking Roddick’s serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead then doing it again to win the set.

But Roddick fought back in the second to win just his ninth set against Federer, before both players tested each other in the third.

Neither player could break the other’s serve until the final game of the set when, with Roddick serving, Federer fought back from 40-15 to take the game to deuce, then got a lucky clip off the top of the net to go to match point.

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