Zheng advances when Wozniacki retires with injury

Fifth seeded Jie Zheng of China advanced to the Semifinals of the 2010 WTA Polsat Warsaw Open Thursday when No. 2 seed, Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark could no longer continue after the 1st set due to pain from an ongoing ankle injury. The matched ended “6-3 retired”.

Caroline sprained her right ankle in the semifinals in Charleston on April 17, and has gone 2-4 since then, with losses to Lucie Safarova, Maria José Martinez Sanchez, and Alona Bondarenko. She is playing with her ankle taped.

Semifinals Set For 2010 Australian Open

The Semifinals for the 2010 Australian Open have been set, pitting No. 1 Serena Williams of the USA against No. 16 Na Li of China. Williams leads their head-to-head match-ups 3-1. This is William’s 4th appearance in the Semifinals of the Australian Open. Each time she made the Semifinals, she has gone on to win the championship. This will be Na Li’s first appearance in the Semifinals of any Grand Slam, and was only her 3rd appearance in a Quarterfinal.

Na Li Upsets Venus Williams

Na Li posted a huge upset by defeating Venus Williams in a thrilling 3-set Quarterfinal match at the Australian Open. Li, seeded 16, was able to hold serve one more time in the 3rd set than 6th seeded Williams to take the match 2-6, 7-6, 7-5.

It was not a day to be serving. Both players struggled with serve, especially in the 3rd set. There were 9 breaks in 12 games in the 3rd set, with Li holding twice and Williams only once.

Kirilenko’s Run Halted By Zheng

History is in the making as unseeded, 35th ranked Jie Zheng has become the first Chinese woman to reach the Semifinals of the Australian Open. She won an impressive straight-sets victory over Russia’s 58th ranked giant-killer Maria Kirilenko in the Quarterfinals of the 2010 Australian Open, 6-1, 6-3.

The 26-year-old Zheng’s service returns were fierce in the first set, breaking Kirilenko in the 4th game and then closing out the set 6-1. In the second set, Zheng pulled out to a 2-0 lead, followed by a marathon sixth game where Zheng saved several break points in a strong challenge from Kirilenko, wrapping up the 2nd set 6-3 in a match time of 85 minutes.

Kirilenko Advances To Quarterfinals As No. 2 Safina Retires With Injury

Unseeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia advanced to the Quarterfinals of the 2010 Australian Open when compatriot, Dinara Safina suddenly retired with an injury during the 1st set of their 4th round match.

No. 2 Safina was facing set point, trailing 4-5 and serving at 30-40, when she limped to her changeover chair for a few moments, then walked up and shook Kirilenko’s hand.

Kirilenko ousted another Russian, Maria Sharapova in the first round, and it is the first time Kirilenko has reached the Quarterfinal of any Grand Slam.