Myskina stuns Hingis, Venus and Davenport win

Unseeded Russian Anastasia Myskina followed up her victory over Justine Henin by reeling off 11 straight games to upset Martina Hingis 6-7 6-4 6-0 in the quarter-finals of the New Haven Open on Thursday.

In other last eight matches, the leading players all advanced with defending champion Venus Williams needing just 53 minutes to dismiss rising American Laura Granville 6-2 6-1 in her match.

Second seed Lindsay Davenport reached her fourth semi-final since returning to the tour after missing the seven months of the season with a knee injury, edging two tough sets to overcome sixth seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France 7-6 6-3.

Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova, the seventh seed, also reached the semi-finals with a comfortable 6-4 6-3 win over Switzerland's Patty Schnyder.

Myskina found herself facing defeat in the second set, down 4-1 and a break point that would have left Hingis serving for the match.

But she continued to challenge the former number one in long baseline rallies and held for 4-2 before breaking the fifth seed to love.

The Russian then levelled at 4-4 and broke Hingis again, before serving out for the set.

A deflated Hingis failed to win a game in the deciding set and in her final two service games, Myskina added five aces to her stronger groundstrokes and persistence to claim a well-earned victory.

Hingis took some consolation in believing she had competed better than last week, which marked her first tournament since May.

"I can be happy with the way I played. I lasted a set and a half," Hingis said.

"I played really well until then, compared to last week. I kept her behind the baseline and made some really great shots. Of course fatigue was a factor. Until a set and 4-1 I felt okay, but I was already trying to finish it off."

Myskina just concentrated on playing each point and ignored the score.

"I wasn't thinking of the score and just fought for every ball and every point," she said.

"It was hard for her because this is only the second tournament after a long layoff and when I saw she was really tired, I just tried to move her around."

The Russian now faces Davenport for a place in the final.

GRANVILLE'S PROGRESS

Granville has been making her mark this summer, winning 24 of her last 31 matches. She beat Mary Pierce on her way to the fourth round at Wimbledon, and just last week she qualified and reached the third round of the Canadian Open.

She broke Williams in the opening game, but that was virtually the end of her challenge.

She immediately lost her own serve and double-faulted three times in her next service game as Williams gained control. In the second set, the top seed won 11 of the last 12 points.

"This was her chance to make it happen and make a name, and I have no trouble getting ready for these kind of matches," Williams said.

Davenport surrendered a bundle of chances before securing the first set from Mauresmo, and took the second on just a single break of serve in a tightly contested battle.

The American led 40-0 on Mauresmo's serve in the opening game, and finally broke to lead 3-2 on her fifth break point. Then, serving at 5-4, Davenport dropped her serve and then faced two set points in the tiebreak before claiming it with a forehand winner.

In the second set, Davenport went ahead on her fourth break point, and then had to hold off a break point as she served out at 5-3.

"I played well to win the first set tiebreaker and it was a pretty close match all the way through," said Davenport.

"It was a very tough competitive match, and anyone that's come off winning a tournament is always going to be tough to beat because they carry a little bit of extra confidence."

Mauresmo, who won the Canadian Open last week, was playing with both her thighs heavily strapped, and admitted her success and run of matches was taking a toll on her body.

"I am getting a little bit tired, and my legs are getting very tight," Mauresmo said. "The left leg it's the abductor, the other side it's the quad muscle."

The Frenchwoman later withdrew from doubles with a left thigh strain.

ANGRY SCHNYDER

Schnyder was lucky not to be defaulted when she fired a ball in anger midway through the second set and skimmed a spectator who dodged out of the way. If the ball had made contact, she would have received an automatic default.

"She was playing great tennis and I felt I could do nothing," said Schnyder, explaining her outburst.

Hantuchova could not have been happier as she heads into a semi-final showdown with Williams.

"I was really happy with the way I played. I felt I could do anything on the court and felt very confident from the first point," she said. "If I play like I did today I think I have got a good chance against Venus."