Williams, Dementieva advance to Sydney final
Friday, 15 January 2010
SYDNEY, Jan 14 (AP): Top-ranked Serena Williams rallied from a set and 5-2 down to beat Avarane Rezai 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 and move into a Sydney International final against defending champion Elena Dementieva.
Rezai was serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set Thursday but reigning Australian Open champion Williams won the next five games to level it and go a break up in the third.
Rezai of France recovered breaks in the first and seventh games of the third set but Williams broke her to lead 5-4 and then served it out.
"Was I down that far? I didn't even realize," Williams said. "I felt like I literally lifted my game at that point, because I knew I was going to be headed to Melbourne if I didn't.
Williams has won 35 titles, including the Australian Open, Wimble-don and the season-ending championship last season, but has never reached the Sydney final, held in the week leading up to the year's first major.
"Cool … finally," she said, relishing the opportunity to gain match fitness in her first tournament of the year.
Williams, winner of 11 Grand Slam singles titles, will play Friday against Olympic champion Dementieva, who beat sixth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-1.
In men's quarterfinals, Richard Gasquet of France had a 6-3, 7-6 (7) win over Italian Potito Starace and Frenchman Julien Benneteau beat Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-0.
Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis beat former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, ending Hewitt's attempt for his fifth Sydney title. In the semifinals, Baghdatis will play American Mardy Fish, who beat Australian Peter Luczak 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Rezai was serving for the match at 5-3 in the second set Thursday but reigning Australian Open champion Williams won the next five games to level it and go a break up in the third.
Rezai of France recovered breaks in the first and seventh games of the third set but Williams broke her to lead 5-4 and then served it out.
"Was I down that far? I didn't even realize," Williams said. "I felt like I literally lifted my game at that point, because I knew I was going to be headed to Melbourne if I didn't.
Williams has won 35 titles, including the Australian Open, Wimble-don and the season-ending championship last season, but has never reached the Sydney final, held in the week leading up to the year's first major.
"Cool … finally," she said, relishing the opportunity to gain match fitness in her first tournament of the year.
Williams, winner of 11 Grand Slam singles titles, will play Friday against Olympic champion Dementieva, who beat sixth-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-1.
In men's quarterfinals, Richard Gasquet of France had a 6-3, 7-6 (7) win over Italian Potito Starace and Frenchman Julien Benneteau beat Argentina's Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-0.
Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis beat former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, ending Hewitt's attempt for his fifth Sydney title. In the semifinals, Baghdatis will play American Mardy Fish, who beat Australian Peter Luczak 7-6 (5), 6-2.