Third seed unimpressed with her performance
Kim Clijsters secured her fifth Australian Open semi-final after she edged out Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets.
The Belgian was hot overly happy with her display but the 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win was enough to see her through to face Vera Zvonareva in the last four.
A scrappy opening saw three successive breaks of serve, although crucially it was Clijsters who claimed two of them.
A third break followed to put the US Open champion 4-1 up - and although the Pole hit back with another of her own, Clijsters sealed the set as Radwanska dropped her serve once again.
Clijsters really should have wrapped up the victory in the second set when she moved 4-2 up, but the third set was pegged back once again.
Radwanska rattled off three games on the bounce to serve for the set but Clijsters held her nerve before she sealed the victory in the tie-break.
The Belgian was hot overly happy with her display but the 6-3 7-6 (7-4) win was enough to see her through to face Vera Zvonareva in the last four.
A scrappy opening saw three successive breaks of serve, although crucially it was Clijsters who claimed two of them.
A third break followed to put the US Open champion 4-1 up - and although the Pole hit back with another of her own, Clijsters sealed the set as Radwanska dropped her serve once again.
Clijsters really should have wrapped up the victory in the second set when she moved 4-2 up, but the third set was pegged back once again.
Radwanska rattled off three games on the bounce to serve for the set but Clijsters held her nerve before she sealed the victory in the tie-break.
Heavy
Clijsters said: "I didn't feel great out there today.
"I felt heavy in the legs but I hung in there which I needed to because she is a good player."
Clijsters clash with Zvonareva will be a repeat of the 2010 US Open final - and the Belgian knows she will have to raise her game in the last-four meeting.
"I hope my experience can help me but there are some tough players out there," she said.
"It's going to be tough but they will be two great semis.
"I lost to Vera at Wimbledon last year but then beat her at the US Open. She is playing really well and I am going to have to play better than I did today."
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