Mason, OH (Sports Network) - The top two seeds were stunned in Friday's
quarterfinal action, while Venus Williams pressed on into the semifinals at
the WTA's $2.168 million Western & Southern Open.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 Serena Williams 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.
Top-seeded Pole Agnieszka Radwanska was bounced in short order by No. 9 seed,
Li Na of China, 6-1, 6-1, in just 70 minutes.
Li advanced to the quarterfinals earlier on Friday, when she leveled Swedish
qualifier Johanna Larsson, 6-2, 6-2, making up a match that was postponed due
to rain Thursday night. Li was runner-up at this past Monday's Montreal final
to Petra Kvitova.
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
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, after the match was suspended Thursday night.
The Sports Network