Russia's Anastasiya Myskina to Vie for Semi-Finals of Australian Open

On Wednesday, Russian Anastasiya Myskina will play for the semi-finals of the Australian Open Tennis Tournament against Kim Clijsters from Belgium. Myskina, who is Russia's first racket (11th world racket in the list of Women Tennis Association - WTA) is Russia's only representative at the Australian Open in men's and women's singles groups.

Today's performance of Myskina is the best of hers in the Grand Slam series. She showed her previous best result last year when she reached the third rounds of Wimbledon and the US Open Tournaments.

Her opponent in the quarterfinals Kim Clijsters can also put her performance at the Australian Open on the record, because playing in the quarterfinals is so far her best result in the Grand Slam series.

In 2001, Clijsters played in the finals of the Roland Garros Tournament and also reached the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon and the US Open Tournaments.

On her way up to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open Kim Clijsters defeated South African Amanda Coetzer, Belarussian Tatiana Puchek, Hungarian Petra Mandula and American Samantha Reeves.

Meanwhile, Myskina in order to reach the quarterfinals had to defeat Slovakian Eva Fislova, Swiss Emmanuelle Gagliardi, Spanish Clarrisa Fernandez and American Chanda Ruben.

The names of two players to play in the semi-finals are already known. They are Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne, who defeated yesterday Spanish Virginia Ruano-Pascual, and the world's first racket American Serena Williams, who defeated a promising Slovakian athlete, Daniela Hantuchova.

The game Anastasiya Myskina - Kim Clijsters will open the program of the Australian Open 10th day. The game will be held on the main court of the Melbourne Park at the Rod Laver Arena.