Venus Triumphs as Serena Falls in Cincy Quarters

It was a mixed day of results for the Williams Sisters in Cincinnati as one achieved a season best result while another saw their recent win streak come to an end.

By Erik Gudris

(August 17, 2012) -- It was a mixed day of results for the Williams Sisters in Cincinnati as one achieved a season best result while another saw their recent win streak come to an end in the quarterfinals of the Western and Southern Open.

Venus Williams faced No. 3 seed Sam Stosur in their quarterfinal match that saw Williams go up a quick 3-0 in the beginning. Stosur managed to get her game in gear but it was Williams with a hooking crosscourt forehand winner who closed out the first set 6-2.

Williams looked poised to close out the match in straight sets but it was Stosur who used her big forehand to break the two-time U.S. Open champion for 6-5. Williams broke back to force a tiebreak but Stosur dominated to close out the breaker seven games to two.

Williams broke Stosur in both the opening game of the final set and during a hard fought seventh game. But despite being down 2-5, Stosur won six of the next eight points to pull to within 4-5. But Williams found her big serve just in time to close out a tense 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4 victory to book her first semifinal berth of 2012.

"I'd like to think that this is only the beginning for me of more semifinals," Williams said later. "Of course I'm going to stay focused and try to make it a final match as well. So for me I'd like to take it a lot further. I haven't played a lot since 2010, so this is awesome for me already."

"I think, you know, overall it's always gonna be kind of on her racquet how she's gonna feel and how she's gonna come out and play," Stosur said about Williams after her loss. "You know, I think if certain things are working for her then it makes it easier for her to be out there and doing well in tournaments."

No. 2 seed Serena Williams, who was riding on a 19-match win streak, may have been favored against No. 5 seed Angelique Kerber but after Williams dropped her opening service game to love to start the match it was clear Williams's recent lack of energy all week wasn't going to change today. Though Williams had 0-40 on Kerber's serve at 1-2, Kerber managed to hold on to her break advantage to close out the set 6-4 after the German chased down a drop shot to hit a forehand winner.

Though Williams hit back to back aces to start the second set, the Olympic gold medalist continued to hit error after error allowing Kerber to break her serve again to love. Despite serving a dismal 48%, Williams managed to stay close with Kerber until at 4-3 when the Wimbledon champion missed an easy overhead that would have given her 15-40 on Kerber's serve. Kerber eventually held serve for 5-3 and though Kerber didn't close things out on her first two match point opportunities, she hit a final ace to seal a 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the semifinals.

Despite the loss, Williams managed to take comfort and even have a laugh when asked later about her older sister's run to the semis.

"She's playing much better than I am. Why are you nodding your head? (Laughter.) You're not supposed to agree. Was I that bad this week? I'll be better, I'll be better. I'll be better in New York, I promise. Yeah, but she is. She is playing a lot better than I am. Moving better. Everything she's doing is great. Serving well, moving up to short balls, she's hitting well. I thought I was inspired, but I couldn't transfer it over to my game."

Kerber will meet in the semis Petra Kvitova who hit 28 winners versus Anastasia Pavyluchenkova to earn a 6-3, 7-6(4) win. Pavlyuchenkova earlier in the day defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4. Venus Williams will play Li Na in the other semifinal. The 9th seeded Chinese WTA star upset top seed Agnieszka Radwanska, who battled through shoulder injuries -- including multiple calls to the on-court medical trainer during the match -- before falling 6-1, 6-1.

(Photo Credit: Cincy Tennis FB)