Australian Open 2012 live stream

People with a ticket to Rod Laver Arena for the women’s semi-finals of Australian Open 2010 are in for a treat, with the stage set for an absorbing afternoon of tennis on Thursday.

A world No. 1 in scintillating form, gunning for her fifth crown at Melbourne Park. A former great capturing the hearts of the tennis world, enjoying a magical run through the draw after 20 months out of the game. Two Chinese players in career-best form, marking the first time in history that two players from the world’s most populous nation have reached the final four in singles at the same major.

After 10 days of drama, intensity, upsets and comebacks, only Serena Williams, Justine Henin, Li Na and Zheng Jie remain alive. They will battle for a place in the women’s final – and a shot at hoisting the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup – on Saturday night.

The semi-final line-up was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, as both Li and Williams enjoyed come-from-behind victories against dangerous opponents. Li defeated Venus Williams after falling behind 6-2 5-3, roaring back to claim the second set in a tie-break and taking the final set 7-5.

Serena staged a trademark comeback, finding her best form in the nick of time when down 6-4 4-0 before running over the top of talented Belarusian Victoria Azarenka 6-2 in the third set.

Williams has been in devastating form at Melbourne Park this past fortnight, breezing through to the quarter-finals without dropping a set. Her fourth-round annihilation of Australian No. 1 Samantha Stosur sent a warning to the rest of the women’s field that she was intent on breaking her pattern of odd-year triumphs at the Open, having previously won the title in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009.

The world No. 1 was forced to work much harder against No. 7 seed Azarenka. The four-time Melbourne Park champion found herself on the back foot for much of the match before ultimately weathering the storm with her own barrage of huge serves and groundstrokes – plus harnessing her legendary mental toughness – to progress.

Of her next opponent in Li, all Williams said was that “she’s a fighter; I have to be ready”. But Williams will no doubt want to avenge the Chinese No. 1’s defeat of her older sister, who prevented the 24th meeting between sport’s most celebrated siblings. It will be the fifth meeting between Williams and Li, with Serena leading their head-to-head series 3-1. The pair played in the first round of Australian Open 2006, with Williams coming through in a tough three-set battle.
Li, meanwhile, said she was thrilled to be in her first Grand Slam semi-final. “I (am) feeling maybe tennis in China right now bigger and bigger,” she explained.

This is no doubt helped by the fact that Li is joined in the semi-finals by countrywoman Zheng, who on Tuesday defeated Russian glamour girl Maria Kirilenko in straight sets to advance to the last four of a major for the second time. Zheng, the 2008 Wimbledon semi-finalist who is unseeded in Melbourne, came from a set down to defeat her first three opponents before defeating No. 31 seed Alona Bondarenko and Kirilenko in straight sets, said she was extremely happy to reach this stage at a major once more.

“For me, is amazing, you know. Is tough match (in quarter-finals) because I know she (Kirilenko) win (against) Maria Sharapova in first round. She is getting up. I think (I had) big chance for the semi-final. So start of match I have little bit nervous, but I do the well. I can win in two sets,” she said.

Before Zheng can even contemplate a place in her first major final, she will have to overcome Henin. The two women have met once before; Henin was a straight-sets winner in Toronto in 2005.

Henin is playing in just the second tournament of her comeback to professional tennis, producing sublime tennis to defeat world No. 5 Elena Dementieva and top-20 foes Yanina Wickmayer and Nadia Petrova on her road to the last four. Zheng, nominating the Belgian as her third-favourite player behind Steffi Graf and Roger Federer, will try not to be too overawed by her highly-credentialed opponent.

“I watch her play always ... (I) enjoy to watch her for play ... I think is tough match for me, is big challenge ... she always strong for the body and mentally,” Zheng said.

Henin is aiming to emulate countrywoman Kim Clijsters, who returned after a lengthy hiatus to win a major – the 2009 US Open – in her first few tournaments back on the circuit. The seven-time Grand Slam champion is thoroughly enjoying her time back on the court, and the warm reception from fans, displaying an extremely high level of tennis and an increased willingness to attack during her inspiring run.

“I just went step by step. That's what I'm going to keep doing now because now I can dream of being in the final of this Grand Slam, of course,” she said. “But still a long way. (I) just try to be focused on what I have to do on the court and hope it's going to keep going this way.
 
“I've been able to raise my level when I had to. That's really important. That means that I'm still here. Even if I'm getting older, I still have this fighting spirit, and that's a good thing.”

With the Australian Open being the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific, many in the region will be hoping for Li and Zheng to progress to set up an historic all-Chinese final, which was almost unthinkable at the start of the tournament given the illustrious names peppered throughout the 128-player field.

For the purists, however, few could go past a Williams-Henin final. Arguably the two most successful players of the previous decade, the current No. 1 leads the former No. 1 in their head-to-head meetings 7-6, and the two women have battled each other in some torrid Grand Slam matches throughout their careers, although never in a major final. A 14th career meeting would be guaranteed to ignite passion, feature brilliant shotmaking and showcasing women’s tennis at its finest.

Williams and Li will do battle at Rod Laver Arena following a men’s doubles semi-final, and will be followed by the match between Henin and Zheng.