Venus Williams proved to the tennis world that she isn't through just yet with a 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 win over the No.3-seeded, and reigning US Open champion, Sam Stosur. After Venus cruised through the first set, Stosur rebounded to take the second in a tiebreaker before Venus found her range in the third.
"She played very well - I have to give her credit for that," Williams said. "In tie-breakers you just have to play one point at a time, and today I let it get away from me. Once that happens, you just have to move on. That's pretty much it. And that's why there's three sets in tennis - it had to be decided in the third.
Venus, who has played a limited schedule since 2010, is in her first semifinal of the year.
"In a lot of my quarterfinals I fell short and couldn't play my best," Williams said. "I'd like to think this is only the beginning for me of more semifinals. Of course I'm going to stay focused and try to make it a final as well. I'd like to take it a lot further. But I haven't played a lot since 2010 - this is awesome for me already."
Next up for Venus is a tough out in Li Na of China.
Na won her rain-postponed third round match against qualifier Johanna Larsson earlier in the day on Friday, 6-2 6-2, also took out No.1 seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in the evening session.
Na has defeated Venus the two times they have met.
The other semi will feature two lefty's that may be playing their best tennis of the year.
Petra Kvitova took out Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in a night match on Friday, while Angelique Kerber of German had too much for Serena Williams.
Kvitova and Kerber have played twice in 2012. Kvitova won at Stuttgart, and Kerber won a three-set batte in Rome.
Two great matches on tap for Saturday night in Cincinnati.
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