Ana Ivanovic through to AUSOPEN semi final!!

Ana beat six-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams 7-6, 6-4 to soar into the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Ana had not won a set against the former world No.1 in their previous four matches, but she produced some high quality tennis to reach the last four for the third time in four Grand Slams. The 20-year-old started strongly on the return of serve. She hit two forehand winners and broke Williams to take a 2-0 lead.It would be the first of a series of six consecutive breaks of serve. Ana hammered six return winners and put pressure on Williams, but was a little bit shaky when she had to hold her own serve. The world No.3 took a 4-2 lead, lost serve and held a break point when the American served at 3-4, 30-40. However, she could not capitalize and Venus levelled the scores at 4-4.A tie-break was a fair ending for such an even set. A sizzling forehand down-the-line gave Ana a crucial 4-2 advantage, and Venus contributed when she missed two easy backhand volleys.Not only had Ana won the first of three tiebreaks ever played against Williams; she had also captured her first set against the American. However, the momentum shifted dramatically at the beginning of the second set. Williams went for broke and took Ana’s serve to lead 3-0. Ana was smart to wake up on time and broke back to stay on track.A phenomenal passing-shot winner after a tremendous rally was the prelude for the good news to come. Even Oracene, Williams’s mother and coach, smiled and applauded Ana’s effort. Ana played a varied game, mixing powerful shots with drop-shots, to break Venus: she would serve for the match at 5-4.During the final game, she saved two break points with an ace and another service winner. Finally, Venus missed a forehand and Ana screamed in joy. She ended the match with 23 winners and 75 per cent effectiveness in net approaches.“You helped me get through this one," she thanked the crowd. “I felt so comfortable here on this court".Ana will play Daniela Hantuchova in the semi-finals on Thursday. The Slovakian advanced to her first ever Grand Slam semi-final when she beat Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-2.Today's win means that Ana will move to No.2 in the world rankings if Jelena Jankovic loses to Maria Sharapova in the other semi-final.By Jorge Viale