Henin and Venus headline U.S. Open semi-final day

TENNIS: Justine Henin and Venus Williams meet in a mouthwatering clash at the U.S. Open on Friday with a place in the final and bragging rights at stake.

Former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova takes on Anna Chakvetadze in an all-Russian clash in the second semi-final.

But most attention will be on Henin and Williams as they look to close in on a second grand slam title of the year.

Having beaten Serena Williams in the quarter-finals, Henin is bidding to become only the second woman, after Martina Hingis in 2001, to beat both Williams sisters in the same grand slam event.

After a year that began with her divorce and included a reconciliation with her family, the Belgian is aiming for her seventh grand slam title.

Wimbledon champion Williams is on an 12-match grand slam roll and has won seven of their eight meetings, though they have not met since 2003.

Henin missed the Australian Open but returned to win her third consecutive French Open and then reached the final at Wimbledon.

"I'm really proud of what I did this year. It's not over yet but it's been great because I came back from a very tough situation personally."

For Williams, victory over Henin would not only help to avenge Serena's defeat. It would also put her one win away from becoming the first woman to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the same year since her sister in 2002 and match her own efforts in 2000 and 2001.

The twice champion came through a third-set tiebreak against Jelena Jankovic in the quarter-finals and said she expected an equally tough contest against Henin.

"I'm playing a player, Justine, a player very similar to Jelena," she said.

"A little more power off the serve, which quite honestly I think I like, when the serve comes with some pace. It's nice.

"I think she'll definitely have to play well. Quite obviously I'll have to play well, too. But I'm going to go for it. I feel like I've done it before, know what to do, so I've got to do it."

Kuznetsova has lost just one set on her way to the semi-final and has won both of her previous meetings with Chakevtadze, who is in her first grand slam semi-final.

"I'm here to do my best and I have all chances to win if I play my game," she said.

"This gets you under a little bit of pressure but also your expectation is higher and you know your value more." Chakvetadze, at 20 the youngest of the four, has won four titles in 2007 and has not dropped a set here.

"I know she's favourite in this match, so I have nothing to lose and no pressure," she said.

NEW YORK, Friday Reuters