The semifinals for the Open GDF Suez are set with Serena Williams and Elena Dementieva matching off. The other semis match will be between Jelena Jankovic and Amelie Mauresmo.
To get to the semis, Williams fought off Emillie Loit, 6-4,6-1. Loit is the second qualifier in the tournament’s history to make it into the quarter finals of the games. She managed to break Williams while serving for the fist set, but Williams bounced back and had few problems the remainder of the game.
Later, Williams said that she felt that her match against Loit was “tricky” and that she was glad it was over. She continued, “I definitely don’t feel at my best, but I feel like I’m getting there.”
The current WTA No.1 will be facing Dementieva on the tour’s semis. Dementieva beat Nathalie Dechy 6-3,6-2 at the quarters. She is already a two-time winner at this year’s tour and is currently ranked No.4 by the WTA. Her match against Williams will be Dementieva’s 500th match in her career.
Mauresmo ensure France a stop at the tour’s semi-finals by beating Agnieszka Radwanska from Poland 6-2, 6-0. Her semis opponent Jankovic won against French player Alize Cornet 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
Both Cornet and dropped their serves multiple times throughout the game, but Jankovic managed to win it in the end.
“It was an intense match’’,” Jankovic said later, ‘‘“…we played so long, my shoes and socks were completely wet. So the bandages moved and I started to have pain in my feet.”