Nicole Vaidisova

PARIS -- Teen sensation Nicole Vaidisova pulled off her second successive upset Tuesday at the French Open, beating Venus Williams 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-3 to earn her first Grand Slam semifinal berth.
The score was remarkably similar to the 17-year-old Vaidisova's previous match, when she stunned top-ranked Amelie Mauresmo 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-2.
Again Vaidisova staged a comeback. And when a Williams forehand sailed long on match point _ her 70th unforced error _ Vaidisova dropped her racket and threw up her arms in glee.
The German-born, Florida-based Czech has drawn comparisons to Maria Sharapova, who was 17 when she won Wimbledon in 2004. Vaidisova's opponent Thursday will be Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, who reached the Roland Garros semifinals for the first time by overcoming an early 5-1 deficit and beating Dinara Safina 7-6 (5), 6-0.
Vaidisova, seeded 16th, pulled ahead to stay at 3-2 in the third set when Williams double-faulted to lose serve. The teen erased a break point to hold in the next game, won a series of brilliant rallies to hold again for 5-3, then broke serve for the sixth time to clinch the win.
Williams, the reigning Wimbledon champion, again came up short in her 10th try for a Roland Garros title. She was seeded 11th and playing only her 14th match this year after being sidelined 3 1/2 months with injuries.
The No. 14-seeded Safina, playing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal, unraveled after blowing the early lead and won only three points in the second set against Kuznetsova. Safina finished with 13 winners and 36 unforced errors.
Kuznetsova, seeded eighth, is bidding for her second major title. She won the 2004 U.S. Open.