Serena Williams will face Dinara Safina in the semi-finals here at Flushing Meadow after edging past sister Venus 7-6(6) 7-6(7) in a match which saw the five-time Wimbledon champion squander a total of ten set points.

Serena, champion here in 1999 and 2002 played catch-up for most of the match, coming back from an early break in the first set to level at 5-5 with a brutal forehand return winner down the line.

In the tie-break Serena saved two consecutive set points and clinched the set when Venus' forehand went marginally wide to yield the breaker 8-6.

Although the 2000 and 2001 champion broke for 4-2, she again surrendered her advantage when she failed to convert three consecutive set point opportunities serving at 5-3 and 40-love up. Serena stubbornly refused to submit with tenacious baseline play and forced a second tie-break after saving a fourth set point on serve.

When Venus nailed a stunning running backhand crosscourt pass to go up 6-3 with another three set point opportunities, a final set looked a near certainty. Serena, however, had other ideas and clung on for dear life. When an exasperated Venus put out a routine smash wide of the sideline to bring the score to 6-6 and then failed to convert an eighth set point at 7-6, it seemed like it was simply not going to be her night.

A relieved Serena was victorious two points later when Venus sent a forehand drive marginally long to end a truly extraordinary contest.  Venus seemed pleased for her younger sister, but she knows that that was a match she should never have lost.

Commenting on Venus' inability to convert on all the set points, Serena said:  

"Yeah, I think she made a couple errors, and it was really luck for me because she never makes those errors. I can't say that I was disappointed. I obviously want the best for her, but in that situation you want to win, too."

Today, Serena seemed more focused and appeared more in control of herself than when she played in the Wimbledon final, and perhaps that was the difference today.

"I definitely managed my emotions a lot better. That was one thing I really wanted to focus on going into this match, was staying positive. I felt like I got really negative at Wimbledon, and lost any chance I might have had.

So I thought, you know, when she was up, I just got relaxed. When I was up, I was still relaxed."

Venus struggled to find an explanation for missing so many chances and in the end was happy to concede that Serena was the better player on the big points.

"I felt like I was always in control", Venus said. "I was always playing more aggressive. Always going for a lot more. But just always coming up a little short.

"I'm a very good closer, so today was ‑‑ you know, I've never had a match like this in my life. I guess there's always a first."

Andre Jones

Flushing Meadows

New York