Mason, OH (Sports Network) - Previously red-hot Serena Williams was
stunned in Friday's quarterfinal action, while her big sister Venus pressed on
into the semifinals at the WTA's $2.168 million Western & Southern Open.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 Serena was ousted by fifth-seeded left-
hander Angelique Kerber, 6-4, 6-4. The German pulled off the upset in 76
minutes by breaking the American's powerful serve twice while holding her
serve throughout on Day 5.
The rising Kerber now has a remarkable seven wins against top-10 women this
year.
Serena was riding a torrid 19-match winning streak since being stunned in the
first round at the French Open in June. The 14-time Grand Slam champ was
seeking a fourth straight tournament title after posting big wins at
Wimbledon, Stanford and the London Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, the wild card Venus upended third-seeded U.S. Open champion Sam
Stosur 6-2, 6-7 (2-7), 6-4 on the hardcourts at the Lindner Family Tennis
Center. The former No. 1 American advanced in 2 hours, 34 minutes despite
piling up nine double faults.
The 32-year-old seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Venus, who's been
slowed mightily by an autoimmune disease over the last couple of seasons, will
now appear in her first semifinal in almost two years, or since the 2010 U.S.
Open.
The third round was completed on Friday when 17th-seeded Russian Anastasia
Pavlyuchenkova upset sixth-seeded former top-ranked Danish star Caroline
Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4 and ninth-seeded Chinese Li Na leveled Swedish qualifier
Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-2. The two matches were suspended/postponed because of
rain on Thursday night.
Li was this past Monday's Montreal runner-up to Czech slugger Petra Kvitova.
The Sports Network