Former top-ranked Venus Williams made it through her first Toray Pan Pacific semifinal appearance after eliminating younger Canadian Eugenie Bouchard in a tight three-set contest 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in a match that lasted three hours and two minutes.
“Wow, she played so well, she’s going to be a great player – she already is a great player,” Williams said during her on-court interview. “I was just competing out there today, just fighting until the end. It was disappointing to lose the second set, but to win the third set is the goal, so I’m happy I did that.”
Williams has participated in this event a number of times in the past but her semifinal appearance will be her best finish so far. She can move another step further if she gets past Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, her next opponent.
“I’m in the semifinals – I’m so excited, my first semifinal here in Tokyo after all these years! It’s hard to believe it’s the first time, but I’m glad it’s now.”
“But my hopes are to win tomorrow. Hopefully it’ll be a win – and in less time, that’s my goal.”
As for Bouchard, it’s back on the drawing board for the promising star.
“I’m always disappointed to lose – I played some good matches here, but I always want to do better,” Bouchard said. “I don’t think I played as well as I can, but obviously Venus is a great player and she put a lot of pressure on me throughout the whole match. I never really felt in control on the court.
“I watched her when I was younger. She’s a legend and a really great player. So I was really excited to play against her – but I didn’t take my chances enough, and against a player like Venus you need to.”
Williams and Kvitova have split their past two matches at 1-1.
