The Women's semi-final line-up at the US Open was completed on Wednesday with Maria Sharapova joining Victoria Azarenka in the top half of the women's draw while the bottom half will witness a David vs Goliath battle when 10th seeded Italian Sara Errani takes on 14-time Grand Slam Champion Serena Williams. While Azarenka had come through a cliff-hanger against defending champion Samantha Stosur on Tuesday, the remaining three matches took place on Wednesday and witnessed no surprises whatsoever.

Marion Bartoli brought a crucial 4-0 lead into her quarter-final with Maria Sharapova from Tuesday, and the Frenchwoman made good use of it, wrapping up the opening set 6-3. The second set was a high-adrenaline affair which saw two complete contrasting personalities on either side of the net. While Sharapova was a picture of calm and serenity when she was not shrieking in the middle of the points, Bartoli was all fist-pumps and glares as she looked to keep up her intensity in what was proving to be an excellent contest.

The US Open finally looked set to kick into top gear after a week of not quite so exciting tennis laid the foundation for the first of the Quarter-finals. As always, it was the ladies who kicked things off first, and though most of the play on Tuesday proved to be a washout due to incessant rain, there was enough time for Victoria Azarenka and Samantha Stosur to play out a modern day classic.

Top seed Victoria Azarenka came into her match against the defending champion having not lost more than 2 games in any set she had played so far at the Open. She carried that form into the first set here, racing through it 6-1 to signal what appeared to be an early end to Stosur's reign as US Open champion. Azarenka was clinical in the first set, breaking Stosur's serve a perfect 3 times from as many opportunities created, while not playing particularly spectacular tennis.

Ladies' quarterfinals day at the AEGON International kicked off on Centre Court with a straightforward win for defending champion Marion Bartoli against Lucie Safarova, 6-4, 6-2.

"So far I'm able to able to play well and to stay consistent into my matches, which is really important on grass," said former Wimbledon finalist Bartoli. "I'm feeling on good form right now. It's good for me to have this kind of form before Wimbledon and obviously I will see how the draws come out and try to play the same way."

The sun shone and Andy Roddick sailed on at the AEGON International on Wednesday, a straight-sets win over Jeremy Chardy earning the former world No.1 a quarterfinal berth against Fabio Fognini. Roddick came out of the blocks fast against Chardy, taking the opening set in 29 minutes.

The Frenchman put up a fight in the second set, saving three match points serving to stay in the set against Roddick trailing 5-6, then another three match points in the breaker, before the American clinched the match 6-1 7-6(6).

Alas! tennis' fairytale of 2009 would not run into 2010. Comeback queen Kim Clijsters, who surprised everyone (including herself) by winning the 2009 US Open title, has been unceremoniously dumped out of the Australian Open in just the third round. But it was less the loss and more the manner of defeat that left the Hisense Arena stunned as Clijsters managed to notch up just one game in her 6-0, 6-1 demolition. The woman to end the fairytale: Russia's Nadia Petrova.

It was all over in an embarrassing 52 minutes and it was almost as if Clijsters didn't show up at all. Petrova, the 19th seed, dominated from the start breaking the Belgian's serve immediately. And 18 minutes later, the Russian had bagged the first set having allowed Clijsters to win just 5 points.

It was a day for showing off new designer dresses, expensive diamond jewellery and some equally stylish tennis as a bevy of seeded ladies made a statement on the first Tuesday of the Australian Open 2010. Oh yes, and the sun added to the heat as the fans came out in full force, a record crowd of 63,603 to cheer and whistle as the Williams sisters, Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic and Agnieszka Radwanska posted easy wins to advance to the second round. There were also wins for Aussie no.1 Samantha Stosur, who couldn't believe that it was her face on the bus stops on the way to Melbourne Park, and 17th seed Francesca Schiavone who overcame a first set bagel before handing out one of her own at the end of the match.

Top seed Serena Williams and her distracting sparkles were the star attraction on Rod Laver Arena today as the defending champion took to the court in an attempt to taking the first step towards breaking a jinxed run that has seen her win the Australian title in every odd year since 2003 (no evens). The world no.1 hammered 31 winners and took full toll of 25 unforced errors from 19-year old Urszula Radwanska to coast through to the second round in 73 minutes 6-2, 6-1.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic led the way into week 2 at Wimbledon on another good day for the seeds, in what has been a surprisingly predictable week of action at SW-19.

The Swiss legend managed to get past a spirited challenge from German Philip Kohlschreiber. Federer displayed glimpses of his invincible self and not for the first time, was the centre of attraction on Centre Court. However, with the first two sets in his kitty, Federer appeared to have pulled his foot off the gas, allowing the German to claw his way back into the match. As Federer tried some tactical innovations, Kohlschreiber stepped up his own game and managed to clinch t