Kuznetsova leads charge of Russian women in Moscow tennis tournament
Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova lead the charge of Russian women into the semi-finals of the Kremlin Cup here on Friday.
The US Open runner-up coasted into the final four past compatriot Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-2 in 71 minutes, to set up a meeting with US fourth seed Serena Williams.
Williams is the only non-Russian left in the WTA event as she saw off Czech eighth seed Nicole Vaidisova for the third time in as many meetings 6-4, 7-6 (9/7).
And the seventh-ranked American, who has a 2-1 record against Kuznetsova, will be looking for revenge after being beaten by the world number two for the first time in the quarter-finals at Stuttgart last week.
"Tomorrow it will be tough match," admitted 22-year-old Kuznetsova.
"Williams is improving her form from match to match and is tough at the end of the season."
Williams added: "She`s doing so well, and has made it to second in the world and first in Russia. I`ve got nothing to lose as she`s ranked higher than me. It will be very good match."
Dinara Safina, who is seeking her second title of the season and sixth of her career, beat compatriot Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to meet another Russian, two-time runner-up Elena Dementieva.
Dementieva got past Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.
In the men`s event, top seed and defending champion Nikolay Davydenko is the only Russian left in the ATP event after he ousted compatriot Igor Andreev.
Davydenko came through a 7-5, 7-5 winner against 2005 champion Andreev and next meets unheralded Serb Janko Tipsarevic, who defeated Czech Radek Stepanek 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Fourth seed Paul-Henri Mathieu also clinched a last four berth with a 6-3, 6-3 win over fellow Frenchman Florent Serra.
The 25-year-old Mathieu, who won his first career title here in 2002, will face unseeded German Michael Berrer, who reached his first career semi-final at the age of 27 years after his eighth-seeded compatriot Philipp Kohlschreiber retired with a back injury after losing the first set 6-3.
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