Hantuchova ends a decade of pain with win over Williams

By Bill Scott Jun 16, 2011, 15:58 GMT

Eastbourne, England - Determined Daniela Hantuchova stopped the rot after a decade of losses to Venus Williams, sending the American out 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 Thursday for a place in the Eastbourne semi-finals.

The 28-year-old Slovak, ranked 25th, had won only two sets in 10 losses to Williams, making a comeback this week on the south coast along with her sister Serena after both had suffered with long-term injuries and illness.

Hantuchova continued her strong form on grass as she reached the final four to play the Czech fifth seed Petra Kvitova, who beat Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

Australian Samantha Stosur claimed a place in the final four in a comeback as she knocked out top seed Vera Zvonareva 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 a day after the Russian 2010 Wimbledon finalist had beaten Serena Williams.

Stosur Friday takes on Marion Bartoli after the 2007 Wimbledon finalist advanced as third seed Victoria Azarenka quit their match trailing 6-2, 2-0.

Hantuchova said conditions were tricky against Williams in whipping seacoast wind. 'It got really ugly for both of us, it was difficult to play.

'I started off well before the wind came - then it got very difficult. It was really mentally important to try to stay in the points and not to fight against myself and just try to play every point as it came.'

Hantuchova had lost to five-time Wimbledon champion Williams when they last met in March in Miami, with the European winning the first set 6-1 before falling to defeat.

'Today was really tough, it was hard to capitalise on the serve,' said Williams. 'I took my racquet back and the wind blew it forward. It wasn't predictable out there, I give her credit to hanging in there.

'She had a lot of extra motivation to get a win against me after a long, long time. She played some good tennis most of the time.'

Both number 33 Venus and her sister Serena were playing for the first time this week. Venus was out for five months with an abdominal injury, her sibling suffered from a cut foot last summer and a blood clot scare in her lungs in February.

Serena, ranked 26th, lost on Wednesday to Russian top seed Vera Zvonareva in a three-hour battle.

'There's nothing like playing matches. It doesn't matter how hard you push yourself in practice, there's nothing like a match,' said Williams.

'It definitely important to acclimatize, and that's why it was crucial for me to get the opportunity for me to play three matches here.'

Hantuchova on Monday played a rain-delayed WTA final at Birmingham, losing to German Sabine Lisicki but gaining ever more grass confidence.

Men finally wrapped up second-round matches left hanging by weather, with the only seed still in contention, Serb number three Janko Tipsarevic, advancing over Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).

Belgian Olivier Rochus beat Carlos Berlocq 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3) while Japan's Kei Nishikori beat German veteran and qualifier Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

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