Predicting the outcome of the duel between the two Russians in the quarterfinals of the tournament was more difficult than it seemed at first glance. Sharapova, who was considered the main contender for victory on the eve of the championship, during that course showed only tennis in some matches that everyone was waiting to see. And it was easy for Maria to win only over her rivals, who were much inferior in class. Chakvetadze acted much more evenly, confirming with a victory over the eighth “seeded” Patti Schnyder the nonrandomness of numerous flattering reviews about her own game.
The match was really stubborn. In the first set, the rivals took games twice on someone else's serve, bringing the showdown to a tie-break, in which Sharapova was more concentrated - 7: 5. And it is not known how events would develop further if Chakvetadze did not get an offensive shoulder injury, because of which he had to take a medical break. Anna managed to continue the match, but she was no longer destined to show her best game. At the very beginning of the second set, she gave her opponent a serve, but then Sharapova began to make mistakes often and missed the lead. With a score of 4: 3, Mary herself, who had dislocated her leg, needed the help of a doctor, after which she again made a break, which almost predetermined the outcome of the match. Thanks to the most powerful innings, Sharapova came forward, and soon, making a decisive break, she won the set and the match. The rival of Maria in the semifinals will be the Belgian tennis player Kim Clijsters, in an equally stubborn match, beating Swiss Martina Hingis in three sets - 3: 6, 6: 4.6: 3. The second semifinal pair was made by American Serena Williams and Czech Nicole Vaidisova.
Nikolay Davydenko should blame only himself. In previous matches, he more than once, having led in the score, gave his opponents a chance to catch up with himself, but at the last moment he nevertheless brought the matter to victory. With a German Tommy Haas, such jokes did not pass.
Davydenko lost the first set (6: 3), but then, having gathered, he managed to take the next two, having beaten his opponent almost in all respects - 6: 2, 6: 1. It seemed that nothing would stop the first racket of Russia from squeezing a broken opponent, who made 10 unforced errors in the third set against three with Kolya. In addition, at the end of this set, Haas had to seek the help of a doctor because of the extension of the posterior thigh, and he almost refused to continue the fight. However, the German found the strength to resume the match and played in a completely different tennis. He equalized the score for the sets, making the most of the mistakes and lethargy of Davydenko, and then he won the match. In the decisive set, the Russian suddenly woke up, making a quick break. When the score was 5-4 in his favor, and Nikolai had a matchball, there were practically no doubts about Davydenko's victory. However, our tennis player again began to play in a manner convenient for Haas, sinning with easy balls to receive. Haas simply had no right not to use such a gift.
Now in the semifinals, the German will meet with the Chilean Fernando González, who unexpectedly easily beat the second racket of the world Spaniard Rafael Nadal - 6: 2, 6: 4, 6: 3. The second semifinal pair of the men's tournament was Swiss Roger Federer and American Andy Roddick.
Andrey IVANTSOV