Lindsay Davenport, not one of the greatest movers in women's tennis, also has a habit of putting her foot in her mouth. After she defeated Serena Williams 6-4 6-2 in the quarterfinals, thereby putting an end to the dream of an all-Williams final, Davenport admitted that she and Switzerland's Martina Hingis, who plays Venus in today's semi-final, had exchanged views as to how they might stop the sisters.

"Everyone was maybe expecting an all-Williams final and Martina and I had a little talk," said Davenport. It was all, apparently, very jokey and stemmed from last year at the US Open when Hingis defeated Venus in the semi-finals, and Davenport, then the reigning champion, lost to Serena who went on to beat Hingis in the final.

"I don't want to make a big deal out of this," said Davenport. "Martina and I get on very well. I think she feels like she sides with me against them. Venus doesn't talk to me much. Serena is a little bit more friendly."

Clearly the intense publicity Venus and Serena receive, particularly at this tournament, narks both Hingis and Davenport who remain number one and number two in the world, respectively.

"I'm sure a lot of people never want to see an all-Williams final," said Serena, who smashed her racket during the first set after she had missed a lunging backhand. "It's going to happen in the future, inevitably. Nobody's going to be able to stop it."

Davenport, who had lost her previous five meetings against her 18-year-old fellow American, and who lost this Wimbledon final to Venus, was concentration personified, hitting ground strokes of such depth and pace that Williams was frequently overpowered.

At the end, Serena swiftly departed. She later pulled out of the semi-final of the women's doubles, citing the inflammation of a small bone in her left foot. Most suspected a bruised ego.

Pete Sampras secured his place in tomorrow's semi-final against Australian teenager Lleyton Hewitt with a 4-6 7-6 6-4 6-2 victory over Holland's Richard Krajicek. But it was not without its drama.

Sampras, who had lost six of his previous nine meetings with the Dutchman, trailed 6-2 in the second-set tie-break, a similar situation to this year's Wimbledon final against Australia's Pat Rafter, although this time the hole was even deeper.

"I thought I was gone," said Sampras. "Richard was outplaying me. I just felt I was going to lose the second set and be down two-sets to love. I thought I was finished. The way he was serving, you just pray. My prayers were answered; I got a little bit fortunate in the tie-breaker."

It took luck - he shanked one service return for a clean winner with Krajicek 6-3 up - coupled with tremendous bravery and the nerve of a great champion as the American turned the tiebreak on its head. Thereafter, Krajicek, the third-round conqueror of Tim Henman, faded, particularly in the fourth set when he admitted to playing badly.

"Richard got maybe a touch down on himself," said Sampras. "I started playing a little bit better."

Marat Safin, like Hewitt, reached his first slam semi-final with a 7-5 4-6 7-6 6-3 victory over Germany's Nicolas Kiefer, who was watched by Boris Becker. Kiefer led 5-2 in the first set and 5-3 in the third, but the huge-hitting 20-year-old Russian was simply too strong.