Petkovic downs Venus, to play Serena in final
Eight seeded German defeats Venus Williams in three sets to set date with top seed Serena Williams
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-08-03 06:09 GMT
Stanford: Eighth-seeded German Andrea Petkovic held on for a three-set win over Venus Williams on Friday that scuppered a potential All-Williams Stanford semifinal. World No.1 and top seed Serena Williams was in action later Friday, taking on Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals of the hardcourt WTA tournament. The winner will face Petkovic, who stormed to a 6-1, 2-0 lead over Venus Williams then survived the American’s rally to win 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.
Williams, who had beaten fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday night, won six of the last seven games of the second set to force a decisive third set against Petkovic.
Petkovic regrouped to gain an early break in the third, only for Williams to break back and level the set at 3-3. Petkovic broke again and served for the match at 5-3, only for Williams to break her again and then hold to knot the set at 5-5. But Petkovic won the last two games to seal the win after one hour and 49 minutes.
Raonic, Gasquet in Washington semis
Wimbledon semifinalist Milos Raonic and 2013 US Open semifinalist Richard Gasquet advanced to the last four of the ATP and WTA Washington Open with straight-set triumphs on Friday.Second seed Raonic fired 16 aces and lost only nine service points in defeating Steve Johnson 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 to book his third semi-final of the season. Sixth seed Gasquet ripped fourth seed Kei Nishikori 6-1, 6-4 to reach the other semifinal.