Serena, Venus reach Dubai semis
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SportsNetwork.com) - World No. 1 great Serena Williams and her former top-ranked older sister Venus were a pair of quarterfinal winners Thursday at the $2 million Dubai Tennis Championships.
The reigning U.S. and French Open champion Serena whipped fifth-seeded former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-2, while the 2009 and 2010 Dubai champion Venus reached her fourth semifinal at this event by topping a fellow non-seed, qualifier Flavia Pennetta of Italy, 6-3, 7-5 on the hardcourts at Dubai Tennis Stadium.
Serena is now 9-4 lifetime against the Serbian Jankovic, who also lost to the powerful American in the 2008 U.S. Open final.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Up next for Serena will be Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, while the wild card Venus' semifinal opponent on Friday will be her eighth-seeded fellow former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, who whipped Romanian Sorana Cirstea 6-1, 6-2 on Day 4. Wozniacki titled here three years ago. Venus is a perfect 4-0 lifetime against Wozniacki and has never dropped a set against the Danish star.
No less than four current or former world No. 1s took to the courts in Dubai on Thursday.
One final quarterfinal result saw Cornet dismiss Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 7-5, 6-3. Cornet will now meet Serena for a fourth time, seeking her first win against the incomparable American.