Dementieva steaming ahead

NEW YORK Olympic champion Elena Dementieva advanced to the US Open semi-finals on Tuesday, the Russian fifth seed extending the best run of her career by defeating Swiss 15th seed Patty Schnyder 6-2, 6-3.

Dementieva booked her fourth Flushing Meadows semi-final and next will face the winner of a night match between Serbian second seed Jelena Jankovic and Austria's Sybille Bammer to decide a berth in Saturday night's women's final.

Dementieva, who has won 11 matches in a row and 16 of her past 18, would become the new world number one if she can capture her first Grand Slam title.

"I feel great," Dementieva said.

AP