Zurich Open Semis - Venus Williams vs. Ana Ivanovic

Zurich, Switzerland – At the close of tennis betting in the quarterfinal today, the semi-final line took shape with third seed Venus Williams continuing her charge. Williams improved to 33-11 for the season when she advanced past Francesca Schiavone in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.

Next up for Venus Williams is second seed Ana Ivanovic who has had surprisingly a good tournament so far. Ivanovic struggled since winning her first Grand Slam crown and ascending to the World No.1 spot. Her summer sojourn on the WTA circuit was one huge disappointment. Presumably, she was struggling with the pressure of expectations. Some of her most unsettling performances were crashing out of Wimbledon in the third round and the second round of the US Open.

In reaching the semis, Ivanovic improves to 34-12 for the year and makes her first semi-final since the French Open. She trails 1-4 against Venus Williams’s lifetime.

Tennis Betting Line: Venus Williams vs. Ana Ivanovic

Match Time: 05:00 AM Eastern time Saturday October 18, 2008

Head-to-head Analysis: Although Ana Ivanovic trails 1-4 against Venus Williams, her only victory against the American star came this year. Ivanovic beat Williams at the 2008 Australian Open quarterfinals, 7-6(3), 6-4 – en route to a runner-up finish where she lost to Maria Sharapova.

Tennis Betting Prediction:

Ivanovic: Ivanovic had some highs and lows this season. Her biggest achievement was her Grand Slam breakthrough when she won the French Open and taking over the No.1 ranking. At the time, she appeared to be poised for more greatness. She had moved from strength to strength from summer 2007-08.

She announced her Grand Slam intentions way back in 2007 when she reached her first Grand Slam final at the French Open (l. to Justine Henin) and then backed-it-up with a final appearance at the Australian Open. So when she finally came out on top, the awaited breakthrough had arrived – a new champion was born.

Then everything went awry. A thumb injury (according to her camp) caused her a lot of distress in tournament play. She couldn’t string together any back-to-back wins.

Williams:Venus Williams is a proven champion. A litany of credentials precedes her in every tournament. Lifetime she has won 37 singles titles and 11 doubles titles. Her highlight this season was winning a second consecutive and fifth overall Wimbledon title. She also made the quarters at the Australian and US Open and she won the doubles gold medal with sister Serena Williams.

Tennis Betting Verdict: Williams lost to Ivanovic this year at the Australian Open, her only loss to the Serbian. Williams is a great competitor and Ivanovic is but a shadow of her former self. In this their second meeting of the season, Williams should come out on top and avenge her loss. Williams has an added incentive. She is trying to qualify for the year-end Showdown in Doha. Only two spots are up for grabs and she is one of four players with a chance to qualify. A good result in Zurich will improve her chances that much more.

Tennis Free Picks: Williams in straight sets

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