Serena, Schnyder in Shock Cincy Semifinal Exits

The dream final of the now-slimmed-down Serena Williams versus the top seed in the Cincinnati final was derailed in the Saturday semifinals when the comeback-hopeful American was easily routed 6-2, 6-3 by unseeded Russian Vera Zvonareva, and top-seeded Patty Schnyder was outlasted 7-6 in the third set by No. 4 Katarina Srebotnik.

It is the second final appearance in the last three years for Zvonareva at the small "Tier III" event in Cincinnati.

The 140th-ranked Williams was competing in her first event since the Australian Open in January after chronic knee problems and weight difficulties.

Schnyder double-faulted twice during the tiebreaker, including match point.

"Strange," Schnyder said. "I got a little tired. I don't know. My second serve is usually pretty reliable. That normally doesn't happen to me...She just played really, really good. Her serve was on the whole time, and she attacked everything. I think she played a perfect match, and I was still able to make it tight."

Zvonareva won her lone meeting with Srebotnik on clay at Bol in 2002. Cincy officials will likely consider extra security for the run of tickets for the Sunday final between the Slovanian and Russian.