Posted on 4/3/2008 6:33:07 PM

Tennis Betting Odds Serena Williams to the Final in Miami

By Nila Amerova

Miami, Florida – After a mercurial performance in Wednesday’s quarterfinal that saw defending champion Serena Williams mercilessly demolish the World No.1 and 2007 Miami runner-up Justine Henin 6-2, 6-0, today’s semifinal against Svetlana Kuznetsova proved to be a different story as the Russian challenged Serena throughout the match, taking her to three sets before the American finally triumphed 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Favored at -220 by the odds makers (BetUS tennis odds), Serena Williams got off to a sluggish start that ended up costing her the first set. Forced to comeback from behind, Serena’s attack during most of the second set was spurned by Svetlana until a solitary service break in the final games saw Williams even the match a set apiece. At 4-3 in the final set, a service break in favour of Serena saw her pull ahead to serve out the match, closing it with a 6-3 score line in the third.

Kuznetsova (+170 underdog) had been attempting to become the seventh player in Sony Ericsson WTA Tour history – and the first Russian player – to defeat both Williamses at the same tournament. In the quarterfinal, Kuznetsova eked out Venus with a 6-4, 6-4 win. Coming into the match today, Kuznetsova had not lost a semifinal this year. In three tournaments, she successfully emerged from the final four; her loss today marks her first semifinal loss of the season and she slips to 3-1 for the year.

Four-time Miami champion and defending champion Serena Williams has enjoyed a lot of success in the Magic City. She is arguably one of the most successful players in Sony Ericsson Open history, second only to Steffi Graf, who has won this event five times (1987-88, and 1994-1996).

Coming into the semifinal today, Serena Williams had not lost a semifinal this year either; going 1-0 in two tournaments contested this season – Williams failed to reach the semifinal at the Australian Open (lost in the quarterfinals) but emerged from the final four in Bangalore (won the title).

Only a victory away from defending her Miami crown and equalling Steffi Graf’s record at the Sony Ericsson Open, what are Williams’ chances against the players in the second semifinal – Jelena Jankovic vs. Vera Zvonareva – scheduled for the night session today, the winner of which will get the chance to battle Serena for the coveted title in Miami.

Here is a brief preview of what to expect.

Both Jankovic and Zvonareva arrived in Miami on the heels of a consistent and solid season. Jankovic has reached the quarterfinal or better at all seven events she has competed in this year and Zvonareva reached the quarterfinals or better at six of seven events contested this season (at the Australian Open she was forced to retire from her opening match with an ankle injury). The only differential between Jankovic and Zvonareva in their season is the fact that Jankovic has yet to reach a final (she is 0-3 for the year), meanwhile, Zvonareva reached two finals (finished runner-up at both events).

Potentially both Jankovic and Zvonareva could prove to be stumbling blocks for Serena Williams in her title defence campaign; so facing neither would be a deciding advantage in her favor.

Jankovic and Zvonareva are both first time semi-finalists in Miami (they were also first time quarterfinalist here on Wednesday). In 2007, Jankovic reached the finals of three Tier I events, winning two – Charleston and Rome – and finishing runner-up in Toronto. Zvonareva reached her first Tier I event final in February this year in Doha, where she lost in an all-Russian affair to Maria Sharapova 6-1 2-6 6-0.

So there you have it, both Jankovic and Zvonareva are a potential threat to Serena Williams and she will get no favors playing against either on Saturday. Thus far, in the season, they have been outstanding in their own right and as such, the winner of their semifinal matchup promises to offer a grand final battle for Serena in her bid to rival in Miami one of the greats in women’s tennis – Steffi Graf. A fitting end indeed and it is with anticipation that I along with all tennis fans will look forward to tonight’s second semifinal and the subsequent women’s final on Saturday. May the best player win!

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room.