Safina reaches US Open semi-finals for the first time
Posted on September 5, 2008
Filed Under WTA
Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina, the sister of 2000 U.S. Open men’s champion Marat Safin, reached her first semifinal at Flushing Meadows, overpowering Italian Flavia Pennetta 6-2 6-3.
The 22-year-old, runner-up at the French Open and the Beijing Olympics, continued her domination over Pennetta, raising her career record over the Italian to 5-0. Safina raced through the first set and then came from a break down in the second to clinch her place in the last four.
“It’s great,” Safina said. “I’m getting closer to reaching the same thing as my brother (Marat Safin, the 2000 champion), so I hope that one day we can have the same titles.”
Pennetta, seeded 16th, had beaten former world number one Amelie Mauresmo to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final but she looked nervous early on. The Italian won two singles titles this year in Vina del Mar and Acapulco, Mexico.
Dinara Safina, who won 37 of her past 41 matches and made it to the finals at six of her previous seven events, next meets fourth seeded American Serena Williams, who beat Wimbledon champion and seventh seeded sister Venus Williams 7-6 7-6.
“I’m getting closer to reaching the same thing as my brother,” Safina said.
Safina is 1-3 against Serena.
Having reached the last eight for the first time, though, Pennetta said she was developing a taste for the latter stages of Grand Slam events.
“I think it’s a good result, but I would like to make more,” she said.
“It’s just one. I make already three or four fourth rounds. A quarter-final, it’s unbelievable. But I hope next year to make more.”
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