U.S. Open: Zvonareva upsets Wozniacki, advances to Saturday final

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Vera Zvonareva, who is known more for her emotional outbursts than for her sometimes creatively aggressive tennis, ignored blowing hot dog wrappers, stopped and waited for new rackets after she mashed the strings of all four she had brought to the court in less than a set and a half and then celebrated with a sweet squeal after her authoritative 6-4, 6-3 U.S. Open semifinal victory over top-seeded and 2009 U.S. Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki Friday afternoon.

Zvonareva, a 26-year-old from Russia, will play the winner of Friday’s second semifinal between second-seeded and defending champion Kim Clijsters and third-seeded and two-time champion Venus Williams. Zvonareva played in the Wimbledon final in July where she lost to Serena Williams who has sat out this Open after having foot surgery. The women’s final is Saturday night.

Despite the continuing windy conditions on the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court, Zvonareva stayed resolutely aggressive, putting pressure on the tentative Wozniacki. It was Zvonareva who was willing to serve and volley or rush ahead to smash overheads. She accepted some errors for the big winners and afterward wasn’t willing to rehash Wimbledon where she was beaten badly in the finals.

‘I am wanting to celebrate this win now and not talk about the past,’ said Zvonareva, who had famously collapsed at last year’s Open where she lost six match points and her emotional stability as she wept and ripped athletic tape off her knees in a night match.

-- Diane Pucin in New York