Venus, Clijsters reaches Women’s Semis; Nadal, Verdasco through to Quarters, Querrey Ousted

Rafa gets through to Quarters (Getty Images) Venus Williams is one step closer to reaching U.S. Open glory. The two-time champion and No. 3 seed reached the semis by defeating French Open champ and No. 6 seed Francesca Schiavone in straight sets. 7-6 (5), 6-4. There were nine breaks of serve in the quarterfinal and Venus had to break Schiavone in the final game to reach victory. She will face second-seeded and defending champ Kim Clijsters of Belgium, who was victorious over in a three-set contest over No. 5 and French Open runner-up Sam Stosur. Clijsters is 6-6 all-time against Venus but has won the last four including at last year's U.S. Open. The other spots in the women's semis will be decided today when No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki takes on 45th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova and No. 7 Vera Zvonareva faces 31st-seeded Kaia Kanepi. Wozniacki defeated No. 14 in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 and Cibulkova eliminated '04 Open champ Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) on Labor Day. Zvonareva dispatched Andrea Petrovic in straight sets and Kanepi battled back to defeat Yanina Wickmayer in three sets. On the men's side, No. 20 Sam Querrey was ousted in five sets to 25th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6 (9), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. With Querrey's defeat, there are no American men in the quarters for the second straight year. Before last year, at least one American reached the men's quarterfinals every year of the tournament's existence. In fact, Venus Williams is the only American player left in either draw. Wawrinka will next face Russia's Mikhail Youzhny, who defeated Spaniard Tommy Robredo in four sets 7-6 (9), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 for a berth in the semis. Wawrinka joins his countryman and five-time Open champ Roger Federer in the quarters. No. 8 Fernando Verdasco outlasted countryman No. 10 David Ferrer in a five-set thriller 5-7 6-7 6-3 6-3 7-6 to reach the quarters where he will face top-seeded Rafael Nadal, who had 30 winners and won 90 percent of his 1st service points in making quick work of No. 23 Feliciano Lopez in straight set 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.