BEIJING, July 2 -- The remarkable Zheng Jie upset 18th seed Nicole Vaidisova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 Tuesday to reach the Wimbledon semifinals where she will meet former champion Serena Williams. Wildcard Zheng, who upset top seed Ana Ivanovic in the third round, broke Vaidisova twice in the opening set, both times when the Czech double faulted on break point. Zheng, in turn, saved six break points in the set.
The Chinese, a former world No. 27 who came into the tournament ranked 133 after injuries, dropped a set for the first time here when Vaidisova broke her for the second time in the 11th game of the second set and went on to level the match.
However, Zheng proved the more resilient, racing away with the third set, although she needed a third match point to settle it when the Czech sent a return into the net.
The win meant that Zheng became the first Chinese player to reach the semifinals of a grand slam tournament.
The 24-year-old, who is playing at Wimbledon for only the third time, is also the first female wildcard entrant to ever reach the semifinals at the All England Club and second at any grand slam.
Elsewhere, the Williams sisters moved closer to another potential final showdown, using their power tennis to cruise into the semifinals in straight sets.
Defending champion and four-time winner Venus Williams beat Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-3, and two-time champ Serena swept 19-year-old Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-4, 6-0.
Venus Williams of the U.S. reaches for the ball during her quarter-final match against Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London July 1, 2008
The Williams sisters are in opposite halves of the draw and could meet in Saturday's final. The two have twice before been in the final, with Serena winning both in 2002 and '03. "That would be amazing if we both were in the final," the seventh-seeded Venus said. "I have to take it one more step and keep playing power tennis."
Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates winning a point during her match against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London July 1, 2008
Venus will next face No. 5 Elena Dementieva, who wasted a 5-1 lead and two match points in the second set before beating fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 6-1, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to reach her first Wimbledon semifinal. Dementieva was a set and 5-1 up after a one-sided encounter that Petrova barely seemed to be taking part in other than to produce a steady stream of forehand errors. With the finishing post within touching distance and serving for the match, Dementieva threw the 21st seed an undeserved lifeline by double-faulting to hand Petrova her first break.
Another break by Petrova followed and what should have been an easy win suddenly turned into a more intriguing encounter.
Dementieva, the highest remaining women's seed in the draw, held two match points in the second-set tiebreak but could not convert them, enabling Petrova to force a decider.
It was a situation all too familiar for Dementieva, who was knocked out of the French Open quarterfinals by Dinara Safina after squandering a match point in the second set.
"I was so close to finishing in two sets and I don't know what happened," she said. "I suddenly started to think about the French Open quarterfinals and it was difficult (to get that out of my head). It was so exhausting."
Foreigners will be faced with a question of identity
2017高考英语真题及答案(新课标全国卷)[1]
亲密称谓揭秘:女生最讨厌被另一半叫什么
华尔街日报头版文章:致毕业生们
北外2017年硕士研究生入学考试试题
Ex-tycoon spared capital punishment
Shooting suspect quiet as he faces court
Boys have lower bar for university entry
Seoul talks to focus on nuke safety
Prince Harry receives award in US
BBC发布伦敦奥运宣传片
Pentagon's tone softens on Chinese military growth
梁振英在香港特别行政区第四届政府就职典礼上的讲话(双语)
Police nab gang smuggling guns
2017高考英语真题及答案(四川卷)[1]
2017年6月全国大学英语四级考试真题及答案[1]
SCO will work together to fight terrorism
Chicago summit exposes NATO's dilemma
2017高考英语真题及答案(全国卷)[1]
Debate bubbles over sugary drink ban
各种“裸”词的英译
联合国秘书长潘基文2017年奥林匹克休战致辞
Gates spearheads anti-smoking push
Prices up at Golden Arches
苹果入职信:你会热爱的工作(双语)
New plan to reduce income inequality
Fighting continues in Syria
2017第64届艾美奖:提名人都说了些啥?
G20 to focus on global growth and eurozone crisis
《黑衣人3》字幕接地气 美式幽默中国化
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |