2 teams advance to semifinals

Number 10 seeds Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur have advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open by defeating Marina Erakovic and Jelena Kostanic Tosic, 7-6, 6-0. Also, 4th seeded Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama defeated Dominika Cibulkova and Virginie Razzano, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

The two teams will play each other in the semifinals.

Zvonareva has wrist pain again

According to this article posted on On the Baseline about the Russian Fed Cup team, Vera Zvonareva is experiencing wrist pain. Does anyone know whether it is the same wrist she injured last year in Charleston? When she sustained that injury, she was told she needed surgery, but it turned out she did not. I'm wondering whether this is a flare-up of that injury.

(By the way--with regard to that article--Safina is definitely off of the Russian Fed Cup team.)

Dementieva goes to U.S. Open semifinals

It's an old rivalry, and one that used to be even, but lately, it has belonged to Elena Dementieva, and she put an even stronger hold on that dominance this morning, when she defeated Patty Schnyder, 6-2, 6-3. Schnyder had a fairly good first set in terms of effort, but the change-ups for which she is known appeared to have no particular effect on Dementieva, who was fully prepared for them. There were a few spirited rallies and some very nice shot-making, though Schnyder faded in the latter half of the second set. Both players served well, and both went for the far angles over and over. But Dementieva was able to hit hers with considerably more accuracy, and committed only 14 unforced errors, compared with Schnyder's 29.

Dementieva will play the winner of the quarterfinal match between Sybille Bammer and Jelena Jankovic.

What they said--day 8

"Honestly, going on the court I didn't expect that I'm going to win because I was just so exhausted. I finish the warm‑up and I just said, I cannot push anymore myself. Then suddenly I started to warm up before the match, just to get warm, and I was like, Okay, I'm starting to feel better."

Dinara Safina

"I think she has a particular style of game that's different than most people, but it really works for her. I think it probably helps because most people don't play like her, so it can throw you off if you're not careful."

Venus Williams on Agnieszka Radwanska

Can you just talk a little bit about your decision this year to really make a big push and to commit to your tennis?
"What decision? I just work a lot. It's not a big decision."

Flavia Pennetta

"...after the match--after the warm‑up I just started to cry. I said, I cannot push anymore myself. He said, 'We know that you're not a machine. Just go out there and don't thinking.' He told me again, Just please don't show me any emotions, like these negative emotions. If you want, don't show even positive. Just go on the court and do whatever you can this day."

Dinara Safina

How would you define your rivalry with Venus? What words come to mind?
"Classic" and "unique."

Serena Williams

"She handles herself with so much class."

Tracy Austin, speaking of Amelie Mauresmo

"So I have to serve--my first serve is also going to be important, and also, the return. In this moment I don't want to think about that."

Flavia Pennetta

"...nowadays I throw in a slice and loopers. I don't know what's gotten into me."

Venus Williams

"Every day is a happy day. Why it has to be? Doesn't matter. When you wake up it's already happy."

Dinara Safina

Two more quarterfinal contests set in New York

Dinara Safina's victory over Anna-Lena Groenefeld may have surprised her, despite the fact that she was the favorite going in. Before the warm-up, she was so exhausted, she did not believe she could step onto the court, much less play the match. She had a talk with her coach, who warned her not to think, and not to expend any energy on any type of emotion. After that, she was able to go on, and even serve a New York bagel to her opponent.

Agnieszka Radwanska looked out of her league in her first set against Venus Williams, but by the second set, she looked like Agnieszka Radwanska, which is not a bad way to look. But it wasn't enough to undo Williams, who defeated her 6-1, 6-3.

It is indeed nice to see Severine Bremond back. She has had her share of troubles, and her latest trouble came in the form of Serena Williams, who defeated her, 6-2, 6-2. Bremond has an enjoyable game, and spends a lot of time at the net, and it was nice to see her again.

When Flavia Pennetta and Amelie Mauresmo were warming up, conditions were fine. But when they began to play, the wind came. It came so forcefully, in fact, that Mauresmo could not serve; she double-faulted fourteen times. Pennetta-who won the match, 6-3, 6-o--will now face Dinara Safina, who defeated her in the final in Los Angeles earlier this summer.

Hot news tip for CBS

Women are playing in the U.S. Open.

Experts' picks updated

Even at this late date--right here.