The Italian Open finals is all Russian. Dinara Safina will play Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final after both players defeated their opponents on Friday. Safina rallied to beat Venus Williams 6-7 (3), 6-3, 6-4, while Kuznetsova defeated Victoria Azarenka 6-2, 6-4.

Both Safina and Kuznetsova have been runners up in the finals at Rome, but have never taken the title.

The match between Safina and Williams lasted for 3 hours and 10 minutes! “She pushed me to play my best,” Safina said. “Sometimes you need this kind of match … It gives me a lot of confidence to beat such a big player like her, such a champion.”

Williams, who is currently number 5, will jump to number 3 by reaching the Rome semi-finals. This is her highest ranking in 6 years. Williams isn’t really concerned with the ranking, it’s the titles she concentrates on.

“The ranking will come when it comes. I like to keep my titles and have my trophies at home,” she said.

Stay tuned for results from the Women’s Italian Open, which takes place today (May 9).

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Image Credit: Newscom

Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 7-6 (3) at the Italian Open Thursday (May 6). Kuznetsova is just coming off a win at the Porsche GP, which was her first title in almost 2 years. Kuznetsova was able to close the match against Jankovic and overpower Jankovic.

Next opponent for Kuznetsova is Victoria Azarenka, who defeated Kaia Kanepi 7-6 (5), 6-3. The match is being called sloppy and not a good one for either player.

"It was a pretty bad match from both of us. I’m just happy I managed to stay calm in the second set and pull it off," said Azarenka.

"Definitely I need to step it up and be tough tomorrow."

In other women’s tennis news, Dinara Safina defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 and Venus Williams easily won against Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 6-2.

Source: AP

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I know this happened yesterday which makes me way late in talking about it, but I couldn’t let it slip completely by without acknowledging Jelena Jankovic’s title win at the Italian Open. Jankovic downed Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-2 in the final to defend her championship title from a year ago.

I watched some of this match on TV and I was struck again by Jankovic’s ability to shake n’ bake on clay courts. She’s good. So her serve is weak, but the girl has athleticism and there is no denying that.

And how about Cornet? Where’d she come from? The kid did well. She was no match for Jankovic, but Jankovic is a top-ranked player for a reason. I think we’ll be seeing Cornet again, no doubt.

With Justine Henin out of the picture (well, even when she was still in it), I thought Jankovic had a legitimate chance at making a deep run at the French Open. Maybe not winning the whole she-bang, but I thought she could definitely make the semis, maybe the finals. Now I’m going to be beyond disappointed if Jankovic doesn’t make it to the finals, and I think she’s a real contender to take the title.

Am I going out on a limb? Ah, who knows. The way my luck runs, I’ll have just jinxed Jelena and she’ll get toasted in the first or second round.

(Image: Newscom)
Jelena Jankovic flashes her pearly whites while hoisting her Italian Open trophy.

Well, did we ever have any doubt? I’m actually a little surprised the WTA compromised with Maria Sharapova about the photo shoot before the Italian Open which began yesterday. Obviously this should be a lesson to all of us: don’t underestimate the negotiating powers of a Russian raised in America.

Sharapova haggled with the WTA until the officials condensed the four- or five-hour shoot into 90 minutes. The world No. 2 accepted the deal.

Actually I kind of liked what Sharapova had to say about the whole ordeal: “When I set foot in Rome, my priority is to play tennis. I already did the talking, and now it’s time to play tennis.”

I never thought I’d say this, but…you go girl.

(Image: Newscom)