Defending champion Venus Williams set up a potential semi-final showdown with younger sister Serena as she beat the rain and Elena Dementieva 5-7 6-3 6-2 at the Nasdaq-100 Open Masters in Miami on Tuesday. The second seed suffered a first set lapse, squandering a 5-3 lead as the 12th-seeded Russian stormed back to win the next four games to seize control. But the Wimbledon and US Open champion rallied to take the next two sets to reach the semis for the fifth time in six events this season.
Williams has now gone unbeaten in 22 starts on the Miami hardcourts as she bids for a remarkable three-in-a-row at the Florida event, which she missed in 2000 through injury, having won the previous year. Eighth seed Serena Williams was supposed to meet third seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland in another quarter-final later on Tuesday, but their match was washed out by rain and put back 24 hours.
A win by the younger Williams would set up the seventh career meeting between the tennis siblings and the first since they clashed in the final of last year's US Open. Venus holds a commanding 5-1 lead over her sister.
Filed by Shane Murray
