Kuznetsova reaches semi-finals at US Open

Svetlana Kuznetsova squeezed past Nadia Petrova 7-6 6-3 at the US Open on Wednesday to reach her first grand slam semi-final.

Svetlana Kuznetsova squeezed past fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 7-6 6-3 at the US Open on Wednesday to reach her first grand slam semi-final.

The 19-year-old, who squandered a match point against eventual winner Anastasia Myskina in the fourth round of the French Open earlier this year, made no mistake this time after a day-long rain break.

Despatched to Court 11 where only a smattering of spectators had waited patiently for play, Kuznetsova started nervously to trail 2-0.

But the ninth seed replied immediately and went on to edge a tiebreak before breaking early in the second set to take charge.

Petrova, who ended the run of defending champion Justine Henin-Hardenne in the fourth round, threatened to break back in the ninth game but Kuznetsova held her nerve to clinch a semi-final against hot favourite Lindsay Davenport.

STRANGE YEAR

"This has been a strange year for me, it's been good but could have been so much better," Kuznetsova told reporters after joining fellow countrywoman Elena Dementieva in the last four.

"At the French Open I had a match point against Myskina and didn't take it and she went on to win a grand slam.