By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 26, 2015
Venus Williams defeated Agnieszka Radwanska for the second time this season to reach the Doha semifinals for the first time.
Photo credit: Qatar Total Open 2015
Jabbing low shots spiced with underspin, Agniezka Radwanska created sharp angles to level the match. Swooping inside the baseline, Venus Williams whipped flat blasts down the lines to close the show.
Attacking at critical stages, the 34-year-old American showed plenty of life in her legs and a confident closing kick. Williams repelled Radwanska, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, recording her third straight three-set victory to reach the Doha semifinals for the first time.
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The seventh-seeded Williams will play either third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki or Victoria Azarenka for a spot in the final.
Today's match was a rematch of last month's Australian Open fourth-round encounter, which Venus won 6-3 2-6 6-1. The rematch followed a similar plot line as Williams, who saved a match point in a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (5) victory over Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the second round, showed no signs of fatigue after that draining two hour, 56-minute struggle.
Radwanska's first error came before a single shot was struck. She won the toss, elected to serve, but wasn't ready for the pace of the returns her opponent blasted back at her. Williams broke at love to open and quickly consolidated for a 2-0 advantage.
The former No. 1 denied the only break point she faced in the set then navigated a deuce game to serve out the set.
Williams' forehand can be both a dangerous and self-damaging shot. She hits it flatter than sister Serena, but if her timing and confidence waver, she can lose her range, struggling to prescribe the right spin and flat-line the forehand into net or sail it long.
Serving for the set at deuce, Williams drove a jolting forehand down the line for a second set point and snatched a one-set lead on a Radwanska error.
Radwanska rallied in the second set as Williams' first-serve percentage plummeted and the clever Pole began tormenting the seventh seed's second serve. Radwanska won nine of 15 points played on Williams' second delivery, breaking serve three times in the second set.
Breaking Williams' serve for a 2-0 second-set advantage, Radwanska worked the width of the court shrewdly and sometimes played her twisting slice, forcing her six-foot opponent to bend into awkward positions and scrape low shots off the court.
Radwanska broke for a 5-1 second-set lead. Even when she was seemingly out of position and out of the point, Radwanska relied on her anticipation and soft hands to create some remarkable counter strikes.
Williams was in prime position at net for a routine forehand volley, but played the shot crosscourt right back at Radwanska, who threaded a forehand pass up the line to earn a second set point. Changing direction sharply, Radwanska hit a low slice to draw a netted forehand and level the match at a set apiece.
Cleaning up her act, Radwanska played much cleaner tennis in the second set comming only four unforced errors compared to 16 for Williams, who served just 44 percent in dropping the set.
The fourth seed finished the set on a four-game run. Radwanska had the momentum, but Williams snatched it right back with some forward thinking and fast hands.
Facing break point in the opening game of the decider, Williams attacked, knocked off three sharp volleys to coax and errant lob, nullify the break point and eventually hold for 1-0. Radwanska earned another break point in the third game, but slapped a backhand return into the bottom of the net and was frozen when Williams spooned a sensational forehand drop volley holding for 2-1.
Net play proved pivotal in the next game. The pair went nose-to-nose at net for a quick volley exchange that Williams won with a full-stretch backhand volley winner for double break point. When Radwanska scattered a forehand wide, Williams had the break and a 3-1 lead. She saved another break point to consolidate for 4-1.
Seeing Williams creeping inside the baseline ready to pounce on a second serve, a tight Radwanska double-faulted to fall into a 1-5 hole. Swinging out in the following game, Radwanska smacked three consecutive return winners down the line, breaking back at love.
Two games later, Williams served for it again and was deadlocked at 30-all. She twisted a slider serve wide for match point. A crackling 21-shot rally followed before Williams stepped forward and slammed one final forehand winner down the line to close in two hours, 16 minutes.
It's an intriguinging stylistic clash bitting Williams point-ending power against Radwanska confounding angled counter-strikes. Score another won for the resurgent power player: Williams has now won seven of 11 meetings with Radwanska.