Summary Madison Keys defeated Venus Williams 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to make the Australian Open semi-finals
MELBOURNE (AFP) - American teenager Madison Keys defeated her childhood idol Venus Williams to make the Australian Open semi-finals on Wednesday and end the seven-time Grand Slam champion s stirring run at Melbourne Park.
The unseeded Keys, 19, beat her 18th seeded compatriot 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, overcoming a thigh injury to set up a final four clash with either top seed Serena Williams or last year s finalist Dominika Cibulkova.
Keys said she had to beat nerves facing the 34-year-old Williams, who started her Grand Slam career when the teen was two years old, in her first quarter-final at a major.
"The moment s definitely sweeter being able to play Venus," the world number 35 said after a rollercoaster three setter.
"It s amazing, obviously I was very nervous coming out but I had to embrace the moment and I did and I get to enjoy another moment in the next round."
Keys, who is coached by former Australian Open champion Lindsay Davenport, had a lengthy time out in the second set and said she feared the return of an injury that ended her Wimbledon campaign last year.
"It wasn t as bad as Wimbledon but it was that nightmare of I don t want this to happen again so it was a little overwhelming," she said.
Keys took a tight first set but was trailing 4-1 in the second when she had the lengthy medical timeout, with Williams going on to take the set.
The third was a see-sawing affair featuring four breaks of serve, with Keys finally winning in one hour 55 minutes when Williams netted a return on match point.
