Serena Williams, winner of eight Grand Slam tennis titles, says she has been inspired by her fellow American, boxing great Muhammad Ali.
A half-fit Sania Mirza and rookie Sunitha Rao tried every tricks in the book but still could not avert a defeat against top seeded Russian duo of Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina in the second round of the women's doubles tennis event of the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday night.
She upset third-seeded Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday.
The Russian faces unseeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova in the semi-finals of the Zurich Open.
Compatriot Elena Dementieva added her name to the tournament's lengthy casualty list when she withdrew with a left thigh muscle injury.
Svetlana Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze recorded contrasting victories against Italian opponents in Moscow.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic staved off a stirring fightback from compatriot Jelena Jankovic set up a meeting with Dinara Safina in the French Open final. Safina beat fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the other semi-final.
Dinara Safina reached the French Open final with a 6-3, 6-2 win over fellow Russian and fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova on Thursday.
The world number two was not invited by team captain Shamil Tarpishchev after she pulled out of last week's semi-final against the United States citing a shoulder injury.
The Russian Fed Cup team were hailed by the local media following their semi-final victory in the U.S. at the weekend, while the hosts were criticised for their choice of venue and the treatment of the visiting captain.
Fifth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova had an easy time against the 16-year-old Austrian in her fourth round match at Wimbledon.
Bianca Andreescu is the first Canadian to win a major in the professional era.
Also making it to the last eight were Svetlana Kuznetsova and Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova.
Holder Serena Williams beat Justine Henin 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Sony Ericsson Open.
Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo suffered a surprise loss to unseeded Ukrainian Julia Vakulenko at the German Open on Friday, as world number one Justine Henin moved smoothly into the quarter-finals.
Top seed Ana Ivanovic beat Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-3 in the Pacific Life Open final on Sunday.
Nadia Petrova lost 6-3, 6-3 to Italy's Mara Santangelo in the second round of the Warsaw Cup.
Second-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova swept past Polish teenager Agnieszka Radwanska 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals at the Pacific Life Open on Wednesday. Kuznetsova, who was upset by Radwanska in the third round of the Australian Open in January, broke her 19-year-old opponent in the first and third games of the opening set on the Stadium Court.
It was the eighth seed's first trophy since she won in Moscow in October while Kuznetsova suffered her second defeat in the final here, having also lost to Justine Henin in 2004.
They beat wild cards Svetlana Kuznetsova and Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 6-4 in the first round at the Dubai Open.
Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska had little trouble booking her spot in the semi-finals of the Pattaya Open after seeing off Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2, 6-3 on Friday.
The Belgian beat Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-2 to win the Qatar Open and complete a Gulf double.
World No 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova was dumped out of the Australian Open by Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, while sixth seed Anna Chakvetadze lost to compatriot Maria Kirilenko in the third round.
Justine Henin extended her unbeaten run to 28 matches with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Sydney International on Friday.
World number one Justine Henin set up a dream final against second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova after beating Ana Ivanovic at the Sydney International on Thursday.
Unseeded Safarova will take on Russian Nadia Petrova, who beat holder Amelie Mauresmo of France in the other semi-final.
Serena Williams overpowered top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6, 6-1 to reach her first Kremlin Cup final.
Top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova reached her first Kremlin Cup semi-final in convincing fashion by crushing fellow Russian Vera Dushevina 6-2 6-2 on Friday.
World number one Dinara Safina came from behind to win an epic contest with Venus Williams 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday and set up an all-Russian final at the Italian Open in Rome. Safina rallied from a set and 2-0 down to earn the right to face her compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova, who barged past Belarussian Victoria Azarenka with a 6-2, 6-4 win.
The Belgian was joined by Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic and Tatiana Golovin in the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open.
World number one Justine Henin made a problem-free return to the court on Thursday, beating Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-1 in her first match since winning the US Open.
The Russian beat unseeded Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia in the semi-finals of the Zurich Open.
Amelie Mauresmo made an unspectacular return to tennis after a two-month layoff with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Romania's Ioana Raluca Olaru at the China Open.
Svetlana Kuznetsova questioned Siberian-born player's motives for coming to Moscow for the Fed Cup final despite being injured.
Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Francesca Schiavone 4-6, 7-6, 7-5 to give Russia their third Fed Cup title.
Russia are strongly favoured to capture a third Fed Cup title in four years when they take on holders Italy in the Moscow final this weekend.
The Belgian raced to victory in one hour, 22 minutes to become the first woman to win the title without losing a set since Serena Williams in 2002.
Top seed Justine Henin of Belgium battled past two-times champion Venus Williams while fourth Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova beat compatriot Anna Chakvetadze in the semi-finals.
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