Zvonareva reaches semifinals

MELBOURNE, Australia - Vera Zvonareva ran off 11 straight games in a 6-3, 6-0 win over Marion Bartoli at the Australian Open on Tuesday to reach the semifinals for the first time in 25 majors.

The 24-year-old Russian's best performance in six previous trips to Melbourne was the fourth round - she'd gone out in the first round at the Australian Open three times, including last year.

Seventh-seeded Zvonareva, who hasn't dropped a set in five matches, rallied from an opening service break to dominate 2007 Wimbledon finalist Bartoli in the remainder of their quarterfinal

"I'm very excited about it," Zvonareva said. "I think it was a great day for me."

Bartoli of France, seeded 16th, had ousted top-ranked Jelena Jankovic in the fourth round.

On the men's side, Andy Murray may have to wait awhile before he's picked again to win a Grand Slam tournament.

Touted by British bookmakers as a favorite at the Australian Open, Murray lost to No. 14 Fernando Verdasco of Spain in five sets Monday in the fourth round.

He twice blew a one-set lead and missed chances to break serve in the pivotal sixth game of the deciding set. He then dropped serve in the subsequent game and was beaten 2-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Also Monday, Serena Williams lost the first set 6-3 to 13th-seeded Victoria Azarenka but was up a break in the second with the 19-year-old Belorussian withdrew.

"The doctors didn't want me to keep going, but I wanted to keep trying and see how I do," said Azarenka, who was dizzy and sick from a virus. "But it was probably not a very good idea because it just gave me even more trouble after."

Williams, who has won in Australia every alternate year since 2003, next plays Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2004 U.S. Open champion.

Kuznetsova advanced when Zheng Jie retired at 4-1 after injuring her left wrist in a tumble in the third game, ending her hopes of a victory on the Chinese New Year.