Zvonareva takes advantage of Kanepi’s errors, moves one win away from US Open final

more images

more images

Russian moves one win from US Open final

NEW YORK — Vera Zvonareva let her opponent self destruct in the wind Wednesday, taking advantage of 60 unforced errors to win her U.S. Open quarterfinal, 6-3, 7-5 over Kaia Kanepi.

No. 7 Zvonareva, who made the Wimbledon final earlier this year, will play the winner of the day’s later quarterfinal between No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and unseeded Dominika Cibulkova.

The 31st-seeded Kanepi struggled on a gusty afternoon in Arthur Ashe Stadium. She hit only 18 winners to go with her 60 unforced errors.

“The weather was definitely not for the good tennis out there,” Zvonareva said. “But no matter what match had to be played, we were both trying our best.”

The tone for the match was set early, when the players traded service breaks right away to make it 1-1, and they combined for 12 unforced errors and one winner through the first two games.

Asked how much she could blame on the wind and how much on her own play, Kanepi said, “Well, 50-50, I think.”

“I think I can’t blame the wind for everything,” she said. “I didn’t play well. Vera obviously played very well.”

Zvonareva, known as one of the more temperamental players on the tour, had a mini-meltdown here last year in a fourth-round loss to Flavia Pennetta, then afterward, insisted she didn’t lose her temper.

“That match is in the past, but I learn from every match,” Zvonareva said when asked about last year’s performance.

On court after the Zvonareva win was a men’s quarterfinal between No. 17 Gael Monfils and No. 3 Novak Djokovic. Also scheduled was a night contest between No. 2 Roger Federer and No. 5 Robin Soderling.

The first women’s semifinal was set up Tuesday, when a pair of two-time winners at Flushing Meadows, No. 2 Kim Clijsters and No. 3 Venus Williams, each won.