Elena vs Serena: Will it be Jane of the outback or the comeback queen?

As predicted, Serena Williams will play against Elena Dementieva in one of the women's semifinals tomorrow.

Both players have a fair chance to win; Serena has more experience than anybody to win in Grand Slam tournaments while Elena has been very consistent and had won two warm up tournaments in Auckland and Sydney.

Here are their thoughts on each other.

Elena on Serena:
ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Every time it's different, especially against Serena. You don't know what to expect from her. All the matches that we play, all the last three matches, was completely different games.

I think she likes to play here (in AO). She won this title (here before). She feels pretty comfortable playing, you know, in this surface. I think it's going to be tough match. It's always good to have, you know, a positive results. But it's all new.

Serena on Elena:
SERENA WILLIAMS: I think she's playing amazing. I think she's actually playing some of the best tennis on the tour. She's really stepped up the level of her game to an unbelievable level. I'm going to have to play really well to do well tomorrow.

The other semifinal match is between Vera Zvonareva and Dinara Safina.

By the way here are some off court photos of Elena who visited the Melbourne Zoo yesterday. That's a nice dress for an outing to the zoo.


(Images by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images via zimbio)

Svetlana Kuznetsova blamed the roof over loss

It's strange because Svetlana Kuznetsova didn't mind the heat.

Instead she was angry that her opponent, Serena Williams bounced back from one set down to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 after the roof on the Rod Laver Arena court was closed.

“It’s gave her more chances, I guess,” she said.

“Definitely it was a big change. I was very comfortable playing outside."

“I guess it’s two different games. One you play inside; one you play outside."

“Definitely angry… why should I not be?"

“Game going my way. Why today they had to close it? I didn’t get it. That was why I was angry."

“I didn’t get the rule at all. Closing the roof middle of the match, I don’t get it.”

According to Reuters, Melbourne is braced for its hottest week in 100 years as meteorologists predict five consecutive days above 40 degrees for the first time since 1908.

The tournament referee can halt matches if the “heat stress index” reaches a predetermined level. The index is a complex, combined measurement of temperature, heat radiation, wind, and humidity.

According to The Times of London, Australia is just too hot to host major sporting events like the Australian Open.

Pointing to defending champion Novak Djokovic's retirement from the Australian Open on Tuesday, The Times said "Australia is no place to host big international sporting tournaments".

"Sooner or later you have to face up to the only sensible conclusion: Australia is no place to host big international sporting tournaments; except maybe the world kangaroo long-jump."

The newspaper went on to blame recent Australian sporting failures on the heat.

"Their cricketers have lost their bite, their rugby players no longer rule the world. They had a poor Olympics. Even Australians, it seems, don't like it hot ."

(Via Reuters, news.com.au, Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Gilles Simon knows how to play Rafael Nadal

I'm quite anxious about the quarterfinal match between Rafael Nadal and Gilles Simon tomorrow. As I'll be heading back to KL tomorrow I could be missing this match.

It's interesting to read Gilles' interview especially on how confident he is on taking Nadal. Here's an excerpt of that interview.

Q. Do you have some specific tactics in your mind if it's Nadal?

GILLES SIMON: Yes. I have to run five hours to win. I have no choice (laughter).

Usually I think that it's easier to play against them because you really know what you have to do. You just have to do a perfect match to win. If it's not perfect, you lose.

It's easier when you get into the court. It's easier to stay focused on the match because you know that every point is important.

Well, just have to be perfect to win. So I prefer to play in that way.

Q. How different will you feel facing Nadal again perhaps in this tournament compared to last year when you faced him here? You've changed a lot as a player. How different is your approach now mentally maybe?

GILLES SIMON: Yeah, the approach is different because I just did it once, so it's easier for me. When you get into the court, you just want to win always. Last year when I played against him, that was not this already.

I wanted to play a good match, but when I had a chance to finish the first set finally, yeah, I didn't play to win the match. I was just enjoying to be on the court, playing beautiful points, but that was it.

This time it's gonna be different because I just want to win. I don't care about my level.

Earlier today, Gilles took a break to do AO promo photo shooting at the southern star wheel.


(Images by Fiona Hamilton/AFP/Getty Images)

Andy Roddick to play in ATP Tour event in KL?

Esther, thanks for this tip. I didn't know the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia (LTAM) guys update their website during Chinese New Year holiday! I guess they can't wait to deliver this piece of news.

Here's what posted on the LTAM website:

World No 9 Andy Roddick is highly tipped to play in an ATP Tour event in Kuala Lumpur (KL) come September.

This was confirmed by Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia president Datuk Abdul Razak Latif in a local daily.

The former US Open champion is among the several stars which could feature in the tournament scheduled at the National Tennis Center in Jalan Duta.

"An ATP official, together with a foreign organiser, visited the NTC about two weeks ago and were happy with the facilities. However, they want the indoor stadium to be upgraded," Abdul Razak was quoted as saying.

"The stadium needs to be upgraded into a 3,000 seating capacity arena and it must be fully air-conditioned with proper lighting."

"The event, if everything goes well, will be held at the end of September. The total prize money will be released soon."

Hey, isn't it Thailand Open falls on September too?

Late last year, LTAM president also mentioned about hosting a WTA Tour event in the second half of year 2009.

Are they thinking of hosting a combined ATP and WTA event?

I won't speculate further. Stay tune for more updates soon!