There are two Australian Open women’s semifinals on Wednesday night/Thursday morning U.S. time, but one match clearly is the better of the two, and that’s Serena Williams vs. Elena Dementieva. That Serena, the lone American of the women’s final four and the No. 2 seed, is in this match is fairly amazing. She looked very beaten in her quarterfinal match.
After Serena dropped the first set 5-7, and with temperatures soaring to 109 degrees, Williams had her rackets restrung during her match because they lost their tension, the retractable roof was closed.
The heat was beginning to take a toll on Williams, and the eighth-seeded Kuznetsova was angry at the decision. She felt that the break gave Williams time to recover and that playing indoors benefited the American’s powerful serve.
“Why should I not be?” Kuznetsova said. “Game going my way. I was very comfortable playing outside. It’s two different games. One you play inside; one you play outside. Serena was tough. She’s playing great. I give her credit. But I don’t get this rule."
The roof was closed for the first time during a match under the tournament’s evolving heat policy, which was changed after a heat wave two years ago. At that time, matches which started under open skies had to finish that way.
It re-energized Serena, the nine-time Grand Slam champion and three-time Aussie Open champ. She rallied to win the second set 7-5 (after being down 5-4 with Kuznetsova serving for the match) and cruised in the third, 6-1.
“I was in a lot of trouble, but you know, I just relaxed and I really wanted to fight and at least go three sets,” Williams said. “I said, ‘Serena you can do it.’ That’s when I play my best.”
Now comes the biggest challenge of the tournament so far. Dementieva, the Russian seeded No. 4, has has beaten Williams three times in a row (Serena won the four matches previously), most recently in Sydney this month, 6-3, 6-1. She won her first two tournaments of the season and routed Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarters.
Dementieva, who is -130 at Sportsbook.com against Williams, had never gone past the fourth round in 10 previous trips to Australia. Now she’s only one win from reaching a third Grand Slam final. The 27-year-old lost the French and U.S. Open finals in 2004.
As for Dementieva, Williams will know exactly what to expect from last year’s Olympic gold medalist (she beat Serena in Beijing).
“I think she’s playing amazing. I think she’s actually playing some of the best tennis on the tour,” said Williams, who is -110 on Sportsbook.com for the match. “She’s really stepped up the level of her game to an unbelievable level. I’m going to have to play really well to do well.”
The winner of this match faces a Russian in the final, either No. 7 seed Vera Zvonareva or No. 3 Dinara Safina.
Australian Open (Womens odds to win-Sportsbook.com)
Dinara Safina +500
Elena Dementieva +200
Serena Williams +180
Vera Zvonareva +300
