Justine Henin beats Serena Williams in U.S. Open quarterfinals

Top ranked Justine Henin beat Serena Williams 7-6 (3), 6-1 Tuesday to reach the U.S. Open semifinals.

Photo: Justine Henin beats Serena Williams in U.S. Open quarterfinals

The pair have met in the quarterfinals at three consecutive majors, and Henin is 3-0.

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Asked if she could explain what went wrong, a sullen Williams replied: "No. I can't. I'm sorry. Any more questions?"

"She made a lot of lucky shots," Williams said a moment later, a white baseball cap pulled low over her eyes, "and I made a lot of errors."

That high-powered match was followed by the biggest surprise so far on the men's side: No. 2 Rafael Nadal's body broke down and he lost to fellow Spaniard No. 15 David Ferrer, who reached his first U.S. Open quarterfinal. Ferrer's 6-7 (3), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-2 victory means there won't be a third consecutive major final between Nadal and No. 1 Roger Federer.

Ferrer did something one rarely sees: He ran Nadal ragged. After losing the next-to-last game, Nadal winced and dropped to the court, sitting with legs stretched out and head bowed. Nadal is a three-time French Open champion and a two-time Wimbledon runner-up, but he's never been past the U.S. Open quarterfinals.

While the formerly No. 1-ranked Williams is the active leader among women with eight Grand Slam titles and will stay on that number, current No. 1 Henin will have a chance to get her seventh major.

Henin's next opponent could be another Williams: Serena's older sister, Venus, faces No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals Wednesday.

"Playing Serena is really exciting for me," Henin said after compiling a 30-17 edge in winners. "I was really happy about the second set. I played much more aggressive."

Henin's next opponent could be another Williams: Serena's older sister, Venus, faces No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals Wednesday night. Not much question for whom Henin will be rooting _ she's 1-7 against Venus Williams, 7-0 against Jankovic.

"Every match is a final for me now," Henin said. "If I have to play Venus, it will be a good challenge for me to play both sisters in the same tournament."

Henin beat the younger Williams at the French Open en route to her fourth title in five years there, and again at Wimbledon.