Williams beats Shaughnessy to reach LA semis

CARSON, California, Aug 12 (Reuters) Resurgent Serena Williams overcame a strong challenge from fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy to move into the Los Angeles Open semi-finals with a 6-7 6-1 6-4 win.

Competing in only her third event of the year because of a knee injury, Williams dominated the last two sets in sapping heat after losing the first 7-4 on a tiebreak.

The former world number one, who had to rally from a set down to beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the previous round, will meet Ana Ivanovic or fellow Serbian Jelena Jankovic in the last four.

''I honestly should have won that first set,'' Williams told reporters yesterdy after hitting 50 winners, including 12 aces.

''I had a couple of chances to break and had a couple of easy shots but just let it slip away.

''But it's awesome to be in the semi-finals. I'm really feeling good about it.

''I'm definitely getting more match-tough, a couple of three-setters is always good to have under your belt.'' Williams, whose world ranking has slipped to 110th after a truncated season, would return to the top 50 with victory in Sunday's final.

CLIMBING UP ''I feel like I'm climbing up,'' she said. ''It's cool.

''I have new goals now. I'm reaching for the top 50,'' she added with a laugh.

Unseeded Shaughnessy, beaten in straight sets when the pair last met in the 2003 Australian Open quarter-finals, survived four break points in the opening set before coming back from 4-2 down in the tiebreak.

The 27-year-old from Scottsdale in Arizona held serve to level at 4-4 and then powered a two-fisted backhand down the line to edge ahead 5-4.

After her opponent hit a forehand long, Shaughnessy unleashed a thunderous first serve to force another Williams error and clinch the first set.

However, the twice champion then upped the tempo as court-side temperatures nudged 100 degrees.

IMPRESSIVE POWER Generating impressive power with her groundstrokes and advancing to the net whenever possible, Williams broke Shaughnessy three times in the second set to level the match.

The deciding set went with serve until the eighth game when Williams again broke after working Shaughnessy around the court with superbly crafted rallies.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Williams was surprisingly broken for the first time after delivering her first double-fault.

Stung by her lapse, Williams took advantage of weak second serves by Shaughnessy and immediately broke back to end the encounter, her opponent double-faulting on match point.

''I started the match pretty well and it's very disappointing not to come through with that one,'' said Shaughnessy, the world number 77.

''I felt like I had a big letdown at the beginning of the second set. She started going more for her shots and that entirely changed the momentum of the match.'' In the second quarter-final, 10th-seeded Ivanovic was due to meet compatriot Jankovic, followed by third-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva against American wildcard Bethanie Mattek.

Top seed Maria Sharapova, chasing her second consecutive WTA Tour title, was scheduled to take on fellow Russian Dinara Safina in the day's late match.

Reuters AD VP0625