Williams vs Williams

BANGALORE, India (AP): Unseeded Chinese Yan Zi shocked top-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 yesterday to enter the semi-finals of the US$600,000 (euro389,180) WTA Tour's Bangalore Open.

Yan's semi-final opponent will be fourth-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder, who faced a strong challenge before downing Uzbekistan's Akgul Amanmuradova 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) in the quarter-finals.

The Williams sisters - second-seeded Venus and third-seeded Serena - set up a semi-final encounter with comfortable victories against their Russian opponents yesterday. Venus Williams cruised past Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 6-3, while Serena Williams outplayed Anastasia Rodionova 6-1, 6-4.

In the second set Williams forced two breaks while dropping serve once in claiming victory over her Russian opponent.

England crawl

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP): The notorious inability of England's batsmen to build on good starts was apparent again on the third day of the first cricket Test against New Zealand. England were 286 for six at stumps yesterday in reply to New Zealand's first innings of 470, still trailing by 184 runs, and with the cream of its batting out and its meagre tail exposed. Of the 134 overs bowled in England's innings to date, 47 have been maidens.

Captain Michael Vaughan was the only England batsman to reach a half century in the four sessions the innings had occupied by stumps, but he also squandered a positive start when he was dismissed for 63 before lunch.

Monymusk score

(CLARENDON): Monymusk defeated Woodhall 1-0 in the mid-season final of the Captain's Bakery-sponsored Clarendon Major League at Brancourt last Saturday. Monymusk scored in the 69th minute after Waynecliff Blair produced an excellent cross and top marksman Franklyn Johnson fired a hard shot past custodian Jermaine Holmes.

"Our ball handling was very good in midfield today although we missed so many chances but in the game of football once chances are created then it is a possibility for goals to score," said Monymusk's coach, Lemmard Lewis.

Woodhall's assistant coach, Carlton Aiken, said: "It was fairly a good game. However, my team lost concentration during the second half and it cost us a goal. We just have to put this lost behind us and work for the bigger title."

- D. Nelson

Roddick beats Djokovic

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP): Andy Roddick served his way into the Dubai Tennis Championships final, beating Novak Djokovic 7-6 (5), 6-3 yesterday. The sixth-seeded American had 14 aces and multiple winning serves at more than 220 kph (137 mph) in the semi-final match.

"I can play tennis sometimes, besides the serve," said Roddick, who highlighted his volleys and spectacular passing shots. Djokovic, who made several unforced errors, praised Roddick's tactics.

"He was really smart, he deserved it," the third-ranked Serb said. In the other sem-ifinal match, Feliciano Lopez won five straight games in the last set to beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. The Spaniard trailed the fifth-seeded Russian 2-5 in the decider.

"The end of the set was a little bit crazy," said Lopez. "Honestly, I think I was lucky. I came back, I don't know how."

Davydenko said, "I tried to win from (the) baseline, but I can't."