Serena Williams has staged a trademark comeback to defeat Svetlana Kuznetsova 5-7 7-5 6-1 and secure a place in the Australian Open 2009 semifinals.
The No. 2 seed looked out of contention when down 7-5 5-3, but typically lifted her game when it counted most, wresting momentum back from the Russian to complete a famous victory.
Williams said she was happy to be in the semifinals of an event she felt she had not performed well in so far.
“It’s really encouraging because this whole tournament I felt I’ve been off and I haven’t been playing my best, especially to pull out that win today,” she said.
“I was happy because I wasn’t really playing my best today. My balls started flying. I was thinking, ‘Wow, this is not my best tennis, or not even close to it’,”
Serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set, Kuznetsova will rue missing a golden opportunity to eliminate the three-time Open champion and complete an all-Russian semifinal line-up.
The match began in searing conditions on Rod Laver Arena, and both players appeared heat-affected. The opening set was littered with lethargic errors and short, uninspiring rallies. Even the crowd seemed subdued.
Despite the conditions, Kuznetsova knuckled down and broke Williams to love in the ninth game. But serving for the set, errors crept into her game, and Williams broke back immediately to level proceedings.
Finding the rhythm on her dangerous forehand and cracking several winners, Kuznetsova again broke serve to take a 6-5 lead. On her second attempt, she made no mistake serving out the set, holding to love.
The tournament’s Extreme Heat Policy was implemented after the first set, and news of the roof closure was met by the biggest cheer of the match to date. Once the match became an indoor contest, the standard of play dramatically lifted.
Williams said the roof closure was helpful.
“[The heat] was really an out-of-body experience, like I felt I was watching someone play in a blue dress, and it wasn’t me, because it was so hot out there,” she said.
Games went on serve until the seventh game, in which the Russian eighth seed lifted her level, going for her shots and rifling winners past the American. Securing the break and consolidating it to lead 5-3, Kuznetsova was on the brink of a stunning upset.
But from there, the wheels fell off.
Williams’ serve – which the American says has troubled her for the entire tournament – all of a sudden found its range. Her return game also became incredibly potent, with the Russian’s serve suddenly coming back harder than it was delivered.
Kuznetsova’s level of play dropped at the same time – she surrendered her serve by tentatively poking at a volley and pushing it wide – and she appeared to tighten up when presented with an opportunity to serve out the match.
Kuznetsova would have been well aware of Williams’ ability to recover when down in a match. She became a bundle of errors, and from 5-3 up in the second set, lost 10 of the last 11 games.
Williams played solid tennis throughout the final set, celebrating in delight as she sent down an unreturnable serve on match point.
The American next plays the red-hot Elena Dementieva in the semifinals, who earlier defeated Carla Suarez-Navarro 6-2 6-2.
Williams said she would have to focus on playing her own game after having lost to the Russian in their previous three matches.
“I think she’s playing amazing. I think she’s actually playing some of the best tennis on the tour. 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 tomorrow,” she said.
In every year she has won the title – 2003, 2005 and 2007 – Williams has faced an opponent either serving for the match or holding match points against her at some stage in the tournament.
In 2003, she was down 5-1 in the third set against Kim Clijsters in the semifinals, facing two match points when Clijsters served for the match at 5-2. In 2005, she saved three match points in her semifinal against Maria Sharapova, while in 2007, Nadia Petrova led 6-1 5-3 before she came back in their third round match.
Dementieva may have to be wary of this ominous trend going into tomorrow’s semifinal match.
“I hope it’s a good omen,” Williams said. “[But] hopefully I won’t have to be down anymore, to be honest.”
Quick facts
Kuznetsova had 11 of her 42 unforced errors in the final set; Williams had three in the final set and 27 overall
The Russian struck 32 winners to the 22 recorded by Williams
Williams won double the number of points in the final set (28-14)
Kuznetsova won 11 of 16 points where she came to the net, while Williams was 7-for-15 on net approaches
Both players served five aces
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