Venus Wins, Serena Loses at Wimbledon

In his post-match Nadal also complained about Soderling ignoring him after a fall during a point, and the Swede's fist-pumping even during net-cord point wins.

"He must have been in his complaining mood today," Soderling said. "If my opponent gets a lucky shot and he doesn't say, 'I'm sorry,' I don't care. For me, it's OK. Why should I say I'm sorry when it's the happiest moment of my life?"

No. 3 seed Andy Roddick was also a winner Wednesday, finishing off a straight-set win over Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu.

"Today was little spotty. I could have been a little bit tighter," Roddick said. "But overall I think it was my best match. It was pretty impressive. So to get through him in straight sets I thought was a good thing."

Other winners on the day were No. 12 Richard Gasquet beating French countryman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, and No. 4 Novak Djokovic outlasting unseeded German Nicolas Kiefer 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-6(5).

"I knew that he's going to be a difficult match because he didn't lose a set until the third round," Djokovic said of Kiefer. "And, considering the fact we played for five days one match, it was very frustrating for both of us. So I think it was more a matter of mental strength than anything else."

Djokovic will next meet former Wimbledon champ Lleyton Hewitt.

Scheduled for Thursday hoping to avoid the rains are (1) Roger Federer vs. (20) Juan Carlos Ferrero, (16) Lleyton Hewitt vs. (4) Novak Djokovic, (3) Andy Roddick vs. (12) Richard Gasquet, (14) Mikhail Youzhny vs. (2) Rafael Nadal, (6) Nikolay Davydenko vs. (10) Marcos Baghdatis, and (7) Tomas Berdych vs. (19) Jonas Bjorkman.

"I have never beaten Roddick," Gasquet said. "I have no pressure. I have nothing to lose against him tomorrow. I have to play my game but for sure he's the favorite. But I'm sure I can play a good match."

Venus Wins, Serena Falls at Wimbledon

Two Williams sisters entered and only one emerged Wednesday when Venus and Serena Williams completed their quarterfinals matches Wednesday at Wimbledon.

The No. 23-seeded Venus upset former Wimbledon champ and No. 2 seed Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-3 while Serena, fighting cramps or a muscle tear (depending who you ask) in her calf, lost a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 battle against world No. 1 Justine Henin.

"I wasn't even sure if I was going to go out and play," said Serena, who played with tape on her left calf and left thumb. "If I'd have been healthy, I think I would have won, 100 percent...The contact, like when the ball hit my racquet, the contact vibrated to my hand and it hurt really bad. I was really just struggling to hit some backhands out there. You know, I was just fighting. I wasn't even sure if I was going to go out and play. It was literally a last-minute decision."

Venus likewise put it to her opponent in the post-match conference.

"In my whole life, I've been a big-match player," Venus said. "It wasn't the ideal draw for her."

French No. 18 seed Marion Bartoli was a surprise semifinalist, taking out No. 31 seed Michaella Krajicek 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, and will next face Henin.

Scheduled for Thursday are (5) Svetlana Kuznetsova vs. (23) Venus Williams, and (6) Ana Ivanovic vs. (14) Nicole Vaidisova.

Wimbledon Womens Semifinal Previews

LONDON, Great Britain -- After a rain plagued past few days in south-west London, the quarterfinal line-up in the bottom half of the draw has finally been completed. Nicole Vaidisova's reward for ousting reigning champion Amelie Mauresmo is a clash with fellow teenager Ana Ivanovic, while the other encounter will see 2005 champion Venus Williams battle it out against Svetlana Kuznetsova. 

Centre Court

(23) Venus Williams (USA) vs. (5) Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) -- Kuznetsova leads, 3-2

The All-England Club holds a special place in Williams' heart and after the spectacular performance she delivered to crush No.2 seed Maria Sharapova and set up a quarterfinal meeting with No.5 Kuznetsova, few would rule the American out from collecting title number four this year. The No.23 seed looked out of sorts in the first few rounds, but she delivered her best performance of the season to dismiss Sharapova for the loss of just four games. Williams season did not get underway until February because of a left wrist injury and she marked her comeback with the 34th tournament victory of her career at the Tier III event in Memphis. However, since this triumph the 27-year-old has struggled for consistency, making it beyond the quarterfinals on just one occasion in the subsequent four months. Williams' run to the quarterfinals has required her to draw upon all her fighting spirit, coming from the brink of defeat against both Alla Kudryavtseva and Akiko Morigami before prevailing in three sets.

After making a slow start to the tournament, world No.5 Kuznetsova has improved with every match and was particularly impressive during her clinical dismissal of talented teenager, Tamira Paszek, in the fourth round. The 21-year-old from St. Petersburg has enjoyed a remarkably consistent first six months of the season, achieving runner-up finishes in four events as well as compiling 36 singles victories on Tour. Kuznetsova was just two games from defeat in her opening round encounter with Julia Vakulenko, but after fighting back to win in three tough sets she has not looked back and has now made it into her third quarterfinal in five years at the All-England Club. Thursday's clash with Williams will be the pair's fifth meeting on Tour and after edging a tight three-set contest at the start of May in Warsaw, Kuznetsova is sure to be confident of repeating the result and reaching her maiden Wimbledon semifinal.

(6) Ana Ivanovic (SRB) vs. (14) Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) -- Series tied, 1-1

Two of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour's most talented young players will meet in Thursday's second quarterfinal and with a maiden Wimbledon semifinal at stake there are sure to be a few nerves in the all-teenage affair. Serbia's Ivanovic has enjoyed a spectacular first six months of the season, achieving a runner-up finish at Roland Garros, capturing the Tier I title in Berlin and breaking into the Top 10 for the first time in her career. The 19-year-old has played well in her third visit to the All-England Club, but was made to work hard for her place in the quarterfinals, fighting back from a break down in the final set to defeat No.11 seed Nadia Petrova.

Vaidisova secured her quarterfinal berth with a spectacular fourth-round defeat of defending champion Mauresmo on Centre Court; her third straight victory over the world No.4. The 18-year-old Czech star made an excellent start to the 2007 season, reaching back-to-back semifinals at Sydney and the Australian Open, and despite having won only eight grass-court matches in her career prior to this year's Wimbledon, she has been in commanding form this fortnight. Her encounter with Mauresmo was the first match she has dropped a set in all tournament and after defeating Ivanovic earlier this year in Sydney, she will enter the contest fully believing she can reach the third Grand Slam semifinal of her fledgling career.
-- Courtesy WTA Tour

TENNIS-X NEWS, NOTES, QUOTES AND BARBS
Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa beat Paul Hanley and Kevin Ullyett 5-7, 7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(7), 28-26 in the most games ever for a men's doubles match at Wimbledon...Andy Roddick has won 18 consecutive tiebreaks...From Chip Le Grand of The Australian at Wimbledon: "All of a sudden, everyone wants to know about Lleyton Hewitt. Where his parents are. Who his coach is. And most of all, whether he reckons he will be the one to knock over Roger Federer." -- We don't want to know. Since Federer OWNS him, what is the point?...Sochi, Russia was awarded the 2014 Winter Games...Maria Sharapova will reportedly play Fed Cup for Russia later this month against the U.S...What a thrilling Venus vs. Sharapova battle, two players who can only hit topspin off both sides, like a video game...From The Telegraph regarding the Mauresmo-Vaidisova match: "Mauresmo was not the only one who did not have a hold on things on Centre Court. When the players came out for the second set, there was much confusion in the umpire's head as to who should be serving and from which side. Kim Craven picked up the phone to call someone, came down the steps of his chair to fish through his bag and then appeared to take advice from a ball-boy. There were much tittering before it was finally decided that Vaidisova would serve first in the set, and that she was on the wrong side."