I was Santa Claus, says Safina

Updated on: 01 July,2009 08:36 AM IST |
PA Sport |

Top seed Dinara Safina felt like Santa Claus after almost gifting German teenager Sabine Lisicki a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals yesterday.

Top seed Dinara Safina felt like Santa Claus after almost gifting German teenager Sabine Lisicki a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals yesterday.

Lisicki had already knocked out fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova and ninth seed Caroline Wozniacki to reach the quarter-finals, and threatened another upset after taking the opening set on Centre Court.

But Safina overcame serving 15 double faults including three in a row from 40-0 late in the deciding set to win 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-1 in two hours and 28 minutes to seal a last-four clash with defending champion Venus Williams later today.

Perfect practice
"On the practice court I don't serve a single double fault.

"The serve is there, I just have to put the brain there. I know what I have to do, I'm just not doing it."

There was no escaping the fact that Safina had to come back from a set down to win for the second match in succession, having trailed former champion Amelie Mauresmo in the fourth round on Monday.

"It was disappointing because today again I had a very slow start, like I'm playing half of my tennis until I'm down, and then I start to play better," added Safina. "I let her play instead of starting to dictate myself from the first point.

"But I'm happy that I'm in the semis, I was tough mentally and I think that was the key today."

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