Saturday, May 6 2006 16:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Warsaw: Venus Williams fell 6-4, 6-2 to two-time finalist Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia in the quarter-finals of the Warsaw Open on Friday. Another Russian Elena Dementieva struggled against Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska before her greater fitness saw her through 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.

Kuznetsova, who finished as runner-up in both the 2004 and 2005 finals, will now take on a third Russian in Anna Chakvetadze, who defeated Serbia's Ana Ivanovic 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, for a place in the final.

In the other semi-final, Dementieva will face top seed Kim Clijsters, who defeated fifth seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-4.

Williams lacked the consistency she needed to overcome a solid performance from Kuznetsova, and once the opening set had been lost, she never looked capable of turning the match around.

Although the seventh seeded American had recovered after coming within two points of defeat against former world No. 1 Martina Hingis on Thursday, she was unable to trouble an opponent whose confidence grew with each game.

Moving well and striking the ball with authority, Kuznetsova broke to lead 2-0 in the second set, held a break point at 4-1, and closed out the match with a further break at 5-2 when Williams made a backhand error. "I think the key was consistency," said Kuznetsova.

"I wanted to attack but I was also focusing to put as many balls back as I could. It was also very important to serve well," he said.

Williams will next play in Rome and is sure that a few more matches will see her back at her best.

"I feel better each match for sure," said Williams, who prior to this week had played just one match this year.

"I had a good week and had three matches. I felt fine and felt I could get to the ball, but I also think that on clay you have to have a mindset of really working your feet and sometimes I felt I was still playing a little bit hardcourt," he said.

Clijsters said she was satisfied after claiming her 10th consecutive victory over Schiavone.

"I felt pretty good out there today," said Clijsters.

"I did exactly what I had to do, which was to be aggressive and trying not to let her play the game she likes to play, which is moving her opponent around, mixing her game up and attacking with her forehand," he said.

It was Clijsters who often held the edge in the rallies, using her greater power either to put Schiavone on the defensive or force errors.

Schiavone admitted she was lacking the consistency she needed to beat Clijsters.

"I was playing one point, two points, one game, two games, but if you want to beat Kim you have to play every point consistently and I think today I didn't do it," she said.

Dementieva failed to serve out the first set after she had broken Radwanska to lead 5-4 - the 17-year old broke for 5-5 with a confident backhand winner and then took the set when Dementieva hit a forehand wide.

But the Russian former runner-up at the French and US Opens levelled the match by taking the second set in which nine of the 10 games went against serve.

She then broke her tiring opponent three more times to claim the final set with ease.