Forward-thinking Williams wins

NEW YORK -- Match over, safe passage into the U.S. Open semifinals assured, Venus Williams was still bouncing on her toes, waiting for the vanquished, Jelena Jankovic, at the net.

That was so telling on two fronts.

For her enthralling quarterfinal was largely won by taking the net. Live by the net, die by the net and make the final four here for the first time since 2002 by rushing the net, defeating the third-seeded Jankovic of Serbia, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4), in 2 hours 27 minutes Wednesday.

Call it an homage to Billie Jean King, an appropriate linkage since the National Tennis Center is named after the net-rushing legend. Williams came in 55 times and won 39 points at the net.

Then there was the toe-bouncing Williams at the net who, at 27 seemed to channel the raw enthusiasm of a Rafael Nadal or a bit of the teen spirit back when she reached the Open final in 1997. That carried off the court when Williams was asked how excited she was about next match, which will be against top-seeded Justine Henin on Friday.

“How much?” Williams asked. “I’m in the semifinals of the U.S. Open, baby. I’m ready. Doesn’t get much better than this, except obviously the final and then the win.”

Following Williams-Jankovic was three-time defending champion Roger Federer and fifth-seeded Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals.

The top-seeded Federer did not get a break point until the third set, but it hardly mattered as he won 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-2, beating Roddick for the 10th consecutive time. In the semifinals, he will play No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 winner against Tommy Haas.

“I’m not walking off with any questions in my head this time,” Roddick said. “I’m not walking with my head down. I played my [butt] off out there tonight. I played the right way.”

Roddick could not have played much better the first two sets, but he was unable to even take one from Federer, unlike Feliciano Lopez and John Isner.

But it was not destined to go the distance, unlike the contest of wills between No. 12 Williams and Jankovic. Williams, who had lost to Jankovic in their last three meetings, survived a slow start and flirted with danger in the eighth game of the third set, saving a break point with a forehand winner.

Serving later at 5-6, she twice came within two points of exiting but never let Jankovic reach match point, hitting a service winner of 98 mph the first deuce and a 116-mph ace on the second.

That 12th game of the third set seemed to have it all, including one rally (won by Jankovic) that inspired Williams’ mother, Oracene Price, to applaud the effort. The crowd gave the players a standing ovation before the decisive tiebreaker.

“It’s not how I planned it, to be honest,” Williams said. “I would have loved to have had a couple of breaks in the third set and cruised.

“I just went for it all the time, non-stop, and it paid off.”

That included her frequent forays to the net. She kept on charging forward, including on the final point of the match.

“I wanted to come in today,” Williams said. “I got lobbed a few times. I got passed a few times. But ultimately, I think it made a difference because I was trying to move forward.”

She never gave Jankovic any breathing room. Still, Jankovic enjoyed her marquee moment, smiling and applauding Williams’ shots and even executing a couple of Kim Clijsters-type splits. The only thing she didn’t like was the pre-match prognostications of a Williams victory.

“If I was playing in Serbia of course I would be the favorite over there, and I understand that,” Jankovic said. “But after beating somebody three times, they were so sure that she will win. Maybe they were right.”

The other semifinal will feature No. 6 Anna Chakvetadze of Russia against former U.S. Open champion and countrywoman Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kuznetsova, seeded fourth, defeated Agnes Szavay of Hungary, 6-1, 6-4, and Chakvetadze beat Shahar Peer of Israel, 6-4, 6-1.

Williams has family reputation on the line against Henin, who defeated Serena on Tuesday night.

“I wasn’t happy with the result at all, to say the least,” Venus said. “I was sad that Serena lost because I didn’t like to see her so upset. I will definitely have to try to win for Williams.”

lisa.dillman@latimes.com

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U.S. Open glance

* Wednesday’s winners: Men: No. 1 Roger Federer; No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko; Women: No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova; No. 6 Anna Chakvetadze and No. 12 Venus Williams.

* Wednesday’s losers: Men: No. 5 Andy Roddick; No. 10 Tommy Haas; Women: No. 3 Jelena Jankovic; No. 18 Shahar Peer and Agnes Szavay.

* Top players on court today: No. 3 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 17 Carlos Moya; No. 15 David Ferrer vs. No. 20 Juan Ignacio Chela.

* Stat of the day: No. 1 Roger Federer is 9-0 against No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko, his semifinal opponent and No. 1 Justine Henin is 1-7 against No. 12 Venus Williams, her semifinal opponent.

* Quote of the day: “It’s my favorite tournament. I love New York. It doesn’t matter how I feel, I just come to this court and always want to give my best.” -- Svetlana Kuznetsova

- Associated Press