Steely Kuznetsova On Course for Second U.S. Open Crown
Reuters
NEW YORK — Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay 6-1 6-4 to reach the U.S. Open semi-finals on Wednesday and believes she is a better player than when she won the title in 2004. The St. Petersburg native was too consistent for the 18-year-old Szavay, who was appearing in her first grand-slam quarter-final, easing to victory in 67 minutes to set up a clash with her compatriot and sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze. When Kuznetsova won the title three years ago, she was a little-known 19-year-old upsetting the odds. She is a much more experienced player now and although this will be only her third grand-slam semi-final, the Russian is in confident mood. “Everybody will compare how I feel now and 2004, and it’s different,” she told reporters. “It was something like, OK, maybe I win, maybe not. Now I know I’m here and I’m here to do my best and I have all chances to win if I play my game. “This (puts) you under a little bit of pressure, but also your expectation is higher and you know your value more. “I know I have grown as a person and as a player. I can see it in the matches. It really motivates me a lot to do what I’m doing, and I really enjoy playing tennis.” Szavay, who had to retire with a back injury after taking the first set off Kuznetsova in the New Haven event final just before the U.S. Open, looked nervous early in the match. Kuznetsova took the first set in 26 minutes and broke in the first game of the second. Though Szavay lifted her game, the Russian held on to reach the semi-finals for the first time since her 2004 win. Szavay thinks Kuznetsova has a great chance of winning the title. “She’s playing really, really good now,” Szavay said. “She has a good chance to be in the final I guess. She has everything, serves good. Big, big forehand and backhand also good. She’s tough mentally, so I think she has good chances in this tournament.” In other matches three-time champion Roger Federer and two-times winner Venus Williams took different paths to the semi-finals. World number one Federer stopped American Andy Roddick 7-6 7-6 6-2 in business-like fashion while Williams was pushed to the brink before beating Jelena Jankovic 4-6 6-1 7-6, setting up an engaging semi-final with top-seed Justine Henin. Defending champion Federer took two hours to record his 14th win in 15 games against Roddick, who had 14 aces but could not overcome 42 winners and only 18 unforced errors by the Swiss. “It was a tough match and he was serving out of a tree,” said Federer. “But I came through in the end. It was a beautiful night.” On the women’s side, Williams won the decisive tiebreak 7-4 under the lights in sold-out Arthur Ashe Stadium to snap a three-match losing streak against third seed Jankovic. Despite a lopsided middle frame, neither player could manage a final-set service break. In the tiebreak, 12th seeded Williams bolted out to a 5-1 lead and held on to win. “I would have loved to have a couple breaks in the third set and cruised,” said Williams, who had lost to Jankovic in their two previous grand slam meetings. “She’s a very good competitor, and anyone has to play a lot of balls against her. “I just went for it all the time non-stop and it paid off.” Jankovic said she fought as hard as she could. “I tried to do my best,” the Serb said. “I tried to win. But tonight, it didn’t go my way. A few points in the tiebreaker I made some unforced errors. “But you have to take the loss and have to go on.”
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