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 WIMBLEDON 2009 NEWS
Picture Safina - taken to three sets by Lisicki.

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The top four seeds will contest the ladies' singles semi-finals at Wimbledon after all posted wins in the last eight on Tuesday.

It was mainly plain sailing for the big guns as Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Elena Dementieva all progressed.

Top seed Safina was given the toughest test as she was taken to three sets by surprise package Sabine Lisicki.

However, she came though 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 6-1 to keep her hopes of a maiden Grand Slam title alive. She will face Venus in Thursday's semis.

Some poor serving, particularly in the first set, threatened to undermine Safina's efforts, but she dug in to end the hopes of the German teenager, who had toppled seeds Svetlana Kuznetsova and Caroline Wozniacki in the two previous rounds.

A Safina double fault on set point in the tie-break handed Lisicki the first set, but the world number one hit back in the second by gaining the crucial break of serve in game seven.

Pushed into a decider, Lisicki cracked and from 1-1 lost the last five games as she struggled with a calf injury.

"My service today, I think I was Santa Claus serving so many double faults,'' admitted Safina, who ended the match with 15 double faults.

"On the practice court I don't serve a single double fault.

"The serve is there, I just have to put the brain there. I know what I have to do, I'm just not doing it."

Looking ahead, she added: "It's not going to be easy against Venus on grass but I have nothing to lose. I want to go out there and enjoy it and show my best tennis.

"I'm happy that I'm in the semis, I was tough mentally and I think that was the key today.''

It appears Safina may have to beat both Williams sisters if she is to break her major duck.

Last year's finalists still look the players to beat as they both progressed in straight sets.

Venus thrashed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1 6-2 in her last-eight encounter.

The third seed, seeking to become the first female player since Steffi Graf to win the tournament three years in a row, eased to victory in just 68 minutes.

It was another routine win for Williams, who has yet to drop a set at this year's tournament. Indeed she has now won 32 consecutive sets in SW19, a run stretching back to the third round in 2007.

And afterwards she told reporters: "Do I feel invincible? I'd like to say yes, but I really do work at it. Day in and day out," she said. "To clock these matches out takes a lot of work."

Radwanska said Venus would take some stopping now.

She said: "It's very hard to play (her) if she has a very good day. So hard to do anything on the court. If she plays like this she will take this tournament one more time."

Meanwhile, Serena posted a 6-2 6-3 victory over Victoria Azarenka, proving too powerful and too classy for her opponent.

There was a couple of moments of concern in the second set - the American falling a break down and also suffering a couple of nasty falls - but she emerged unscathed to post a straight-sets success.

Serena claimed she would be prepared to match the men by playing five-set matches after the match.

"I'm ready for five-set matches," she said. "On grass it would be fine. I can definitely play five sets."

Andy Murray's fourth-round tie with Stanislav Wawrinka lasted longer than three of Tuesday's women's quarter-finals combined, but Williams believes the fans are getting value for money.

"I definitely think so," she said. "You get to see these female players playing their best tennis not losing a set. I think that's tremendous.

"It's one, two, three and four in the semis so I think the seeding is right. Those top players are really playing their top game so (the fans are) definitely getting your money's worth."

Serena will now face Dementieva, a 6-2 6-2 winner against Francesca Schiavone.

A semi-finalist 12 months ago, Dementieva had too much for her Italian opponent as she eased to victory on Court One.

Afterwards, the Olympic champion said: "I am just very happy to be in the semi-final again.

"It was a tough match despite the score. The weather conditions were tough today so I'm glad to go through. I was trying to play very aggressive and make it as quick as possible because it is very hot out there.

"I am sure it will be a tough challenge for me against Serena as she likes to play on grass. But I just want to give myself another try.''

  • Defending girls' champion Laura Robson returned to the last 16 of Junior Wimbledon after another comfortable win on Tuesday.

    Australian Sally Peers had few answers to the Briton's powerful game and succumbed 6-3 6-2.

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