Olympic semifinal preview: Maria Sharapova vs. Maria Kirilenko

Having already previewed the Olympic semifinal between Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams, we are moving on to predicting the all-Russian one, between Maria Sharapova vs. Maria Kirilenko. Thank you, Omair, for contributing the article!

Maria Sharapova ended Kim Clijsters' Olympic dream 6-2 7-5 to set up an all-Russian semifinal against Maria Kirilenko. Earlier in the day, Kirilenko upset Petra Kvitova 7-6(3) 6-3, the 2011 Wimbledon champion, to make it to the medal match.

The pair has never played on grass before. Their most recent meeting came in the quarterfinals of Indian Wells this year, where Sharapova won in three sets. Will Kirilenko have a revenge? Let's have a look at the performance of the players so far at the 2012 Olympics.

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Olympic semifinal preview: Serena Williams vs. Victoria Azarenka

Our contributing blogger Omair dug into the world of Olympic stats and brought us the previews of the semifinals. Let's see the numbers behind the 2012 Olympic performances of our semifinalists for an insight into who has a greater chance to win. First up on the menu: Victoria Azarenka vs. Serena Williams.

Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams will meet for the 10th time in their careers, most recent meeting coming on the very same lawns of Wimbledon just a few weeks ago, at the same stage of the tournament (in that match, Serena hit 24 aces, thus winning an entire set only with aces!). It was Serena who walked off victorious. Will it be different this time?

Azarenka fought hard to fend off the Angelique Kerber challenge in the quarterfinals, 6-4 7-5. Serena joined Azarenka shortly afterwards, thumping Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets, 6-0 6-3. This will be a rematch of their Wimbledon semifinal, where Azarenka put up a brave show, but lost in straight sets.

Williams has yet to lose a set in the 2012 London Olympics, while Azarenka has already lost a set in her first-round victory.

Let's have a look at Azarenka's and Serena's performance so far in the tournament.

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Clijsters remains unbeaten by Ivanovic, Venus falls to Kerber

Kim Clijsters will likely end her career with a perfect 6-0 record against fellow Grand Slam champion and former No.1 Ana Ivanovic. In their today's encounter at the London Olympics, Clijsters won 84% of points on first serve (69% of her first serves got in) and defeated the 11th-seeded Ivanovic 6-3 6-4 in just 58 minutes, despite hitting 10 winners less than the Serb. The third-round victory came pretty smoothly to Clijsters and only in the beginning of the second set she faced bigger challenges, when double faults at 0-1 eased Ivanovic's way to break points. However, Clijsters saved them, held her serve and finished the match without losing service games.

Venus Williams wasted three set points and a 5-1 lead in the first-set tiebreak, while in the second set she blew a 3-1 lead to fall to this year's Wimbledon semifinalist Angelique Kerber 7-6(5) 7-6(5). Kerber is making her Olympic debut, while Venus is looking for a record fourth gold medal in the Olympic tennis, which she still has a shot at thanks to the women's doubles alongside sister Serena.

Serena Williams lost just one game, 6-1 6-0, in the third round against Vera Zvonareva (the only women's singles medalist from the Bejing Olympics who played this year, as Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina have retired), Petra Kvitova beat Flavia Pennetta 6-3 6-0, Victoria Azarenka, after saving set points, advanced with a straight-set victory over Nadia Petrova 7-6(6) 6-4, and Maria Kirilenko took out Julia Goerges 7-6(5) 6-3. (source: The Washington Post, photo: © Neal Trousdale)

Who is Venus Williams dating?

I decided to revisit the topic of Venus Williams' boyfriend not only because of the newly-launched WTA Players and their Boyfriends/Husbands series, but also because I haven't completely followed up on the news regarding Venus' love life. What I'm saying is that we did write about Venus' long-time pro golfer boyfriend Hank Kuehne, but we skipped to mention their breakup of now already two years ago.

Venus and Hank were talked about the most during 2008, even though they started dating at least in 2007, as since Wimbledon 2007 Hank was openly supporting Venus during tournaments. In January 2008, the word was out that the couple got engaged. However, the two split in 2010 and in May 2011 Hank married his current wife Andy. Before Venus, he was married to Nicole Kuehne and has a son with her, Henry August Kuehne III (born in 2005).

Who is Venus dating today? There is no such information out there, yet! Do you happen to have some info?

What do you think is the deal with WTA players and golfers? Ana Ivanovic and Adam Scott (ok, now they're over), Caroline Wozniacki and Rory McIlory… (photo via GardenSubl)

The famous coach of Justine Henin to work with Li Na

Carlos Rodriguez, who we are identifying with the now retired seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin, will start to coach Li Na on a trial basis as of August 16 and according to the current plans their cooperation will last until the end of the season. Rodriguez will travel full-time with the 30-year-old Chinese.

For the most part of Li's career, her husband Jiang Shan was coaching her. Last year Michael Mortensen led her to the French Open title, but they stopped working together just a few months later, in September.

At the ongoing Olympics, Li lost in the first round to Daniela Hantuchova 6-2 3-6 6-3. (source: Tennis.com, photo: chascow)


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