Tuesday, September 5 2006 15:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: Top seed Amelie Mauresmo stormed past old nemesis Serena Williams into the US Open quarter-finals on Monday.

The French woman won 6-4, 0-6, 6-2 in a tense match that failed to live up to expectations as both struggled to find their top form.

Mauresmo will play Russia's Dinara Safina for a place in the semi-finals.

"I am happy with the third set but less so with the second. I played badly in that," Mauresmo said.

"I think all the experience and maturity I have gained this year helped me to focus at the start of the third set," she said.

Williams came into the match having won eight out of their previous nine meetings and with a distinct psychological edge.



But their fortunes had swung dramatically this year with the American sidelined by a knee injury and the French woman enjoying success at last with wins in the Australian Open and at Wimbledon.

Mauresmo struck first by attacking Williams on her serve and grabbing the break in the sixth game.

The former world No.1 got the message and she broke back immediately in a tremendous following game that saw them exchanging volleys.



The normally easy-going Mauresmo was glaring defiance over the net at an opponent who had succeeded in intimidating her in the past and her aggression paid dividends two games later as she won the first set.

But Williams was better at keeping her focus as she jumped into a 4-0 lead in the second with two quick breaks of serve.

Watched by her injured sister Venus, Williams made it three breaks in a row and then served out to blank Mauresmo and level the tie at one set-all. It was the first time this year that the French woman had lost a set 6-0.

Mauresmo stopped the rot after saving a break point in the first game of the decider.

The intensity had gone out of the match at this stage with both players showing their lack of match fitness with a succession of glaring mistakes.

It needed either player to take charge and it was Mauresmo who stepped forward at 3-2 ahead setting up break point in a marathon rally and then clinching it as Williams hit a backhand inches long.

Two games later it was all over, Mauresmo running down a drop shot on match point to deliver one of her own that Williams could not reach.

The top seed is aiming to become the first woman since Serena Williams in 2002 to win three Grand Slam titles in the same year.