Serena Williams of US hits a return to Elena Dementieva of Russia during their Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships in Doha yesterday.

BY C APRAMEYA

DOHA: Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki registered contrasting victories to reach the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Championships here at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex yesterday.

While the world number one American eased past Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-2, 6-4, Wozniacki fought cramps in her leg to come through a three-setter against Vera Zvonareva.

Serena remained unbeaten in the Maroon Group to book a last-four spot. The 28-year-old has been in good form in Doha and is emerging as one of the favourites to take the crown.

“I am feeling really great after this victory. I had never done well in round robin matches. Finally, it has changed,” said Serena after her win.

The 28-year-old Dementieva, who beat Serena’s elder sister in her opening match, will play her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova in her final league match.

Serena was broken early in the match and trailed 1-2. But she launched a fine rally to win seven consecutive games which firmly put her in control of the match.

Danish teenager Wozniacki had to battle through the pain barrier to progress into the semi-finals from the White Group.

The 19-year-old had cramps in her left thigh as she emerged victorious 6-0, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 in a three-set match against Russia’s Zvonareva.

It was the second day in succession that the world number was stretched three sets. It was against her good friend Victoria Azarenka of Belarus that Wozniacki had to play for two hours and 59 minutes.

She took two medical time-outs during her struggle on the Centre Court under lights. Her opponent too had problems when she bled in the nose during the second set.

Wozniacki was in tears in the final set at 5-4 (30-30) when she was severely hampered by cramps. She collapsed on the court for few minutes before she picked herself up to serve out for the match. Later, she could hardly walk to the net to shake hands with Zvonareva.

Wozniacki recalled later how she felt lying on the court, by saying: “I wasn’t scared (when I fell on the court). I was just thinking how can I get up from here? I mean, doesn’t matter which muscle I am moving right now, I am cramping. Then I wanted to get a help, maybe get a hand, a reach of hands from someone. But I wasn’t allowed to, so I kind of had to find my way up.  I have absolutely no idea how I won that match.”

“I feel great that I won. I am feeling better now. I need to cool down getting some massage. The medical staff is helping me. So that is really great,” she added.

After walloping the first set at love in just 28 minutes, Wozniacki continued in same form in the second too. At 5-2, she could have wrapped up the game but that did not happen.

The world number four had another opportunity at 6-5 with two match points. But the Sony Ericsson Championships’ debutante squandered those as the 25-year-old Zvonareva won a baseline point challenge to force the issue into the tie-breaker where the Russian won 7-3.

“I had two match points. The line umpire called one of them out and then she challenged that. It was in. I wasn’t happy about that,” Wozniacki said.

“Afterwards, she just started to play really good and aggressive. In the third set, when it was 3-1 I got the cramp in my leg. From there, it just got worse and worse. I have absolutely no idea how I pulled it through. But I am very happy about it,” she added.

Wozniacki went 3-1 up in the deciding set. However, before this she needed a massage on her left thigh to continue her play.

Then again at 5-4 she was in pain but pulled through for a tough win.

Wozniacki faces Jelena Jankovic of Serbia today. She said she would do everything to get fit for her final round robin match.

“Yes I will play tomorrow. I am going to do everything I can to get ready for tomorrow. I am going to do everything what the physiotherapist and doctors said. They told me to drink a lot of fluids, eating some good food, stretching, get some massage, ice massage, salt bath…everything,” the Dane said.