The names don’t get much bigger than this: Andy Roddick, Ana Ivanovic, Richard Gasquet, Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters. All are former top 10 players, four have made it to the top spot and all are in action at Pat Rafter Arena today.
The women’s semifinals get off to a flyer at 11:00 am with two former world No.1s in Ana Ivanovic and Justine Henin meeting for a spot in the final. They have played each other four times, with Henin taking the honours every time.
Second match on Pat Rafter Arena sees Tomas ‘Big Bird’ Berdych and Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci face off for a place in the semis. Berdych taught Marcos Baghdatis a tennis lesson in the second round, while eighth-seeded Bellucci has weathered two three-set storms on his way to the quarters.
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The final match of the day session brings Kim Clijsters and Andrea Petkovic together. Petkovic upset fourth seed Daniela Hantuchova in the quarters and has been a revelation this week.
Meanwhile, the Kim Clijsters comeback roadshow continues in Brisbane where she has played to packed houses leaving no one disappointed, except her opponents.
As the Pat Rafter Arena lights begin to attract the local moths, Andy Roddick will step out of the shadows and on to centre stage where master technician Richard Gasquet will be waiting.
The pair have met three times, with boom server Roddick holding a 2-1 advantage, not that Gasquet will even consider this when the lights come up and play begins at Pat Rafter Arena.
The semifinals beckon and history means nothing.