TENNIS Australian Open Championships:Ana Ivanovic is hoping for a case of third-time lucky after setting up a quarter-final showdown with Venus Williams on day eight of the Australian Open.
The fourth-seeded Serbian moved into her first Australian Open quarter-final with a 6-1 7-6 (7/2) win over Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, but a familiar foe will be waiting for her in the last eight tomorrow in eighth seed Williams.
Williams, a six-time grand slam winner, finally ended the run of Polish surprise package Marta Domachowska 6-4 6-4.
The win was not as straightforward as the scoreline indicated after the American found herself 3-1 down in the opening set, but Domachowska could not capitalise on her start.
Ivanovic, who is still searching for her first grand slam title, was knocked out by Williams in the semi-finals at Wimbledon and in the fourth round of the US Open last year.
Williams went on to win her fourth Wimbledon, while it was a case of so near yet so far for Ivanovic, who also finished runner-up to Henin at the French Open.
But the 20-year-old believes her time might be about to come due to a combination of increased fitness and a liking for Melbourne's new Plexicushion surface.
"I'm a little bit of a different player than I was the last time I played her," Ivanovic said of her showdown with Williams.
"I have got even fitter and stronger on court, and also these courts are a little bit slower than at the US Open, I think that definitely suits me better because she is a big server and she likes to go for big shots."
Ivanovic is determined to go in with an attacking mindset.
"It will be important for me to serve well, stay in the court and don't give her too much, because it's going to be important whoever takes control over that first shot," she said.
Williams, who also advanced to the quarter-finals of the doubles in partnership with sister Serena, has no doubt she holds an edge over Ivanovic considering their past results in big matches.
"I do consider myself a big-match player," Williams said. "I do enjoy those times, I enjoy the battle and I enjoy the challenge."
Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska continued her giant-killing run by ousting Russia's 14th seed Nadia Petrova 1-6 7-5 6-0.
Radwanska will now meet Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the last eight after the ninth seed came from a set and a break down to beat Russia's Maria Kirilenko 1-6 6-4 6-4.
For 18-year-old Radwanska her performance surpasses her previous best effort at a grand slam tournament when she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2006 and at last year's US Open.
And it continues a meteoric rise in which she has cut her ranking from 941 to 26 in just three years.
Radwanska, who knocked out Russia's second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the third round, admitted she has exceeded her expectations in reaching the last eight.
"In Hobart I lost in the first round, so I am very happy that I have gone a few rounds here," she said. "I was already in the fourth round at Wimbledon and the US Open, but this is my first time in a quarter-final."
Now she faces another tough test against Hantuchova, who reached the last eight in a grand slam for the first time since the 2003 Australian Open after coming back from a seemingly hopeless position against Kirilenko.
And Hantuchova is not underestimating the lowest-ranked player left in the draw.
"She's a very tough player, very talented," she said of Radwanska. "I played her in Zurich (last year) and lost, so obviously I will have to change something and make sure I play my best tennis."
