Big Stars to Fill This Bill

By Lisa Dillman

June 29, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

WIMBLEDON, England — Introducing the Wimbledon women’s semifinalists -- same as it (almost) ever was. This year’s edition sounds suspiciously like 2004, featuring the biggest names in the sport: Davenport, Sharapova, Mauresmo and Williams.

Well, at least the same last names.

To reach the 2005 formula, simply add Venus Williams and subtract Serena Williams. And if there were any secret about how long it has been since Venus Williams was in that equation, reaching the final four of a Grand Slam event, her reaction after defeating 12th-seeded Mary Pierce of France, 6-0, 7-6 (10), gave it away Tuesday.

Williams smiled widely after Pierce hit a backhand long on match point in what was a riveting 22-point tiebreaker and retained that expression as she left the court. It wasn’t the airborne reaction when she defeated Martina Hingis in the 2000 quarterfinals here, but it was in the same ZIP Code.

Typically, Williams was unwilling to articulate her joy at reaching the semifinals at a major for the first time since Wimbledon 2003.

“I’m always happy,” she said. “I have a good life. I think if the second set score would have been 6-3, it would have been a little bit different [reaction]. But that was a very tough tiebreak because she didn’t give me an inch. So I had to take whatever I could.”

Those questions were preferable to ones about her father Richard’s BBC TV interview. In Tuesday’s interview, Richard Williams said an out-of-shape Serena was in the “worst” condition: “I think she’s in my condition.” And he told a cautionary tale about taking his daughters to a hamburger stand where a former professional tennis player supposedly worked.

“I don’t know,” Venus said. “I said I don’t know the story. It may have happened. I don’t know.”

The 14th-seeded Williams, who saved five set points in the tiebreaker, will play the defending Wimbledon champion and second-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia in one of Thursday’s semifinals. All the quarterfinals finished in straight sets, but top-seeded Lindsay Davenport and Sharapova were pushed to one tiebreaker.

Sharapova defeated her countrywoman, No. 8 Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (6), 6-3, and Davenport beat fifth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, 7-6 (1), 6-3, serving eight aces.

“It’s a different situation because last year I wasn’t expected to be in the second week of a Grand Slam,” said Sharapova, 18. “It was obviously something new to me, something really exciting. When you get to the semifinal of a Grand Slam for the first time, it’s overwhelming.”

Third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France had the smoothest path against No. 9 Anastasia Myskina of Russia, winning, 6-3, 6-4.

One point seemed to shift the momentum of the Davenport-Kuznetsova match. Kuznetsova reached set point in the 10th game of the first set on Davenport’s serve but let it go by netting a backhand.

That opportunity never came back for Kuznetsova, who played a shaky tiebreaker, losing it, 7-1, as her backhand broke down. Her game plan all but evaporated in the second set, as Davenport opened leads of 3-0 and 4-1.

“I knew she’d come up with some fantastic winners, and I knew she’d give me some errors,” Davenport said. “The first few points of the tiebreak, I thought I played pretty solidly and was able to build a good lead, and that really helped. But she does go for a lot.”

Though Davenport didn’t quite reach her lofty level of Monday’s match against Kim Clijsters, it wasn’t entirely necessary against Kuznetsova. She had been worried how her body would feel when she got up Tuesday morning.

“Not as bad as I thought it would be,” she said. “It was really important for me to come back and kind of consolidate this great win I had yesterday and not have a letdown. I figured I’d be a little bit tired. Most importantly, I feel healthy at this point.”

Davenport, 29, has been undermined by various ailments in the latter stages of Grand Slam events. She hasn’t needed massive bandages, a la Todd Martin, but tape and treatment from the trainers have been staples in recent years. For once, Davenport hasn’t been wearing any visible tape on her legs here.

After openly contemplating retirement at this time last year, Davenport regained the No. 1 ranking and reached the final at the Australian Open in January. She has not won a Grand Slam title since the 2000 Australian Open. In a BBC TV interview after a post-match news conference, she was asked what was more important, the No. 1 ranking or winning another Grand Slam title.

“It’s no debate,” she said, smiling. “I would trade any ranking to have another Grand Slam title.”

Wimbledon

The women’s semifinalists have won eight Grand Slam titles. Thursday’s matchups, seedings and Grand Slams (in parentheses) for each:

No. 1 Lindsay Davenport (3) vs.

No. 3 Amelie Mauresmo, France (0)

* Head to head: Davenport leads, 8-3.

No. 14 Venus Williams (4) vs.

No. 2 Maria Sharapova, Russia (1)

* Head to head: Sharapova leads, 2-0.

* Today’s men’s quarterfinals...D5

Men’s quarterfinals

Today at Wimbledon (5 a.m., ESPN2; delayed at 10 a.m., Channel 4)