US OPEN 2007: Women's Semifinals Preview

The 2007 US Open Women's semifinals are now set. Mad Professah correctly predicted 3 of the 4 women's quarterfinal match results.

Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS (4) vs. Anna Chakvetadze RUS (6). Instead of an all-Williams semifinal we have an all-Russian semifinal. Of course, these two players have been relegated to the bottom half of the draw and the less glamorous day-time schedule. Kuznetsova repeated her Pilot Pen win over Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay, this time completing the match in straight sets 6-1, 6-4. Chakvetadze took out always tough Shahar Pe'er in straight sets by a similar score (6-4, 6-1). Now the two Russians will face each other in a Grand Slam semifinal, Kuznetsova's third and Chakvetadze's first. Although on paper and experience one would expect Kuznetsova to win but having seen Chakvetadze in person playing two matches this summer (at the Acura Classic, losing to Sharapova and beating Venus), I suspect she will pull out her first win over her older countrywoman to validate her sterling summer hard court season and solidify her break through to the upper echelons of the game. PREDICTION: Chakvetadze in 3 sets.

Venus Williams USA (12) vs. Justine Henin BEL (1). The top half of the draw has widely been thought of as containing the eventual winner of the tournament and this match will likely be the determinant. In order for Justine to win this tournament she will have to defeat both Serena and Venus Williams in the same tournament, something only Martina Hingis has done (and she ended up losing in the final). Justine has not played Venus in over four years (2003 Australian Open semi-final which she lost in straight sets during the Williams sisters' run of four consecutive grand slam finals) and has lost 7 consecutive matches to her. However, all these matches occurred before Justine won the first of her 6 Grand Slam titles and this will not be an easy match for Venus to win.

If the Venus that came out and blew the #5 player in the World, Ana Ivanovic, off the court on Monday in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 is the one that shows up for Friday's semifinal then she will make quick work of the #1 seed. But if it's the one that showed up against the #3 player in the World, Jelena Jankovic, and had 60 winners and 56 unforced errors to gut out a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(4) win it will be a long night at the office which I believe the Belgian will be able to tough out. There's no way that Venus will be able to hit 60 winners against Justine, but we all know that in any match the upper limit of the number of errors Venus can hit is unlimited. I suspect it will be the former Venus and not the latter Venus, which will lead her to the third time in her career attempting to pull off the Wimbledon-U.S. Open double (2000 and 2001).

PREDICTION: TOSSUP (with an edge to V. Williams).