Serena, Davenport One Match from Showdown at WTA Dubai

"I didn't want to get off to a slow start again, especially against someone like Daniela," Serena said after the 6-4, 6-3 win. "I moved better today, and I just think I was a little more focused. It's getting used to this court and the balls, and each day I get better."

Also into the semis was No. 8 seed Patty Schnyder, who came from a set down to upset No. 3 Anastasia Myskina 6-7(0), 7-6(2), 6-2, and unseeded Serb Jelena Jankovic who ended the Cinderella run of Indian wildcard Sania Mirza 6-2, 6-2.

"I'm really disappointed with my performance since Australia," Myskina said. "I'm (making) a lot of unforced errors and I'm really (not) confident on the court right now, but we can't play 365 days a year. We're human beings and can get tired or have a bad day. We can't just go on the court and be a robot."

Mirza, playing on a twisted ankle, was blown out 6-2, 6-2 in 48 minutes.

"I was just trying to do a bit too much," Mirza said. "To be honest, I really don't think I played that bad. She just made me look like that. She wasn't making any errors."

Friday's semifinals are Davenport vs. Schnyder (the American has won six of their eight meetings, including the last five) and Serena vs. Jankovic (Williams won their only meeting last year in three sets), and in the doubles China's Yan/Zheng vs. Kuznetsova/Molik, and 2004 year-end No. 1s Ruano Pascual/Suarez vs. Hantuchova/Schiavone.