(April 5th, 2013) -- Double duty was the order of play for several women forced to play catch up at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston. But the end result set up two blockbuster semifinals for Saturday with one featuring an all-Williams Sisters meeting - the first since 2009.
U.S. women were out in full force in the day as cancelled third round and quarterfinals from yesterday's rained out session got underway.
Venus Williams kicked things off in a first-time meeting against friend
Varvara Lepchenko. While both engaged in long grinding rallies, it was Williams who found extra MPH on her groundstrokes to secure the first set.
But Lepchenko didn't back down and soon earned her first break of serve in the second set. The lefty built on that momentum to claim the set and force a decider. But Williams hung tough and soon blazed ahead to seal the 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win.
Williams then turned around a few hours later to take on young
Madison Keys in the quarters who earlier stopped
Bethanie Mattek-Sands 7-6(4), 6-4. Keys held her own with Williams, but too many errors from the young American proved her undoing as Williams closed out a 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the semis.
Top seed
Serena Williams also was called up for double duty as she faced another rising American in
Mallory Burdette in the third round. Burdette was not overawed facing the 15-time Major champion while Williams got off to a slow start. But an untimely set of two forehand errors from Burdette down 4-5 allowed Williams to take the set.
Williams calmed down midway through the second set and her game improved as a result. Williams hit 32 winners en route to a 6-4, 6-2 win.
Soon the World No. 1 was back on court to take on
Lucie Safarova in a rematch of last year's finals. Safarova herself had to get past
Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 5-7, 6-1 earlier and took advantage of a slow start from Williams to earn an early break.
Though Williams appeared to struggle with her form and composure, she soon took the first set 6-4. Fighting herself while up 3-1 in the second, Williams finally held serve after long game for 4-1. With a total 28 winners, Williams secured the 6-4, 6-1 win.
That set up the anticipated all-Williams Sisters semifinal tomorrow. It will be the 24th career meeting between them and their first since the 2009 WTA Championship finals in Doha.
The second semifinal will feature
Jelena Jankovic who eased past Canada's
Eugenie Bouchard 6-2, 6-1. Jankovic, who earned her 500th career victory, will next face Switzerland's
Stefanie Voegele who upset No. 2 seed
Caroline Wozniacki 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.