Melbourne, Jan. 28: Jelena Dokic has revealed she briefly retired from tennis in mid-2007, before being drawn back to the game for what she vowed would be one last attempt to resurrect her fallen career.

"I actually made the decision," she told a small group of journalists today upon returning to Melbourne Park after Tuesday night''s 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 loss to third seed Dinara Safina in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

"And about four days later, I changed my mind," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her, as saying.

Melbourne, jan. 28: Serena Williams came back from the brink to defeat Russia''s Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5, 5-7, 6-1 in the Australian Open quarter-finals, ensuring the women''s semis would not be an all-Russian affair.

The eighth-seeded Kuznetsova served for the match in the 10th game of the second set but was broken by Williams, who is chasing a fourth title at Melbourne Park.

Melbourne - Serena Williams survived a sweltering "out-of-body experience" Wednesday, picking up her game when the roof was closed at the Rod Laver arena and preventing Russian domination of the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

The nine-time Grand Slam winner broke the spell in temperatures of 42 degrees and climbing when, under the heat rule, the roof was closed at the end of the first set, which seemed to give Williams new life.

Melbourne, Australia - Jelena Dokic said that an enthusiastic welcome home from frenzied fans at the Australian Open has truly marked the start of her second career.

The 25-year-old was still beaming on Wednesday, a day after losing after an improbable run into the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam.

"It was quite a ride from the first round onwards," the number 187, who is set for a big rise on the WTA from Monday, told the Seven television network. "I got a good start and things just went crazy from there."

Melbourne, Australia  - Elena Dementieva kept her dream of a possible number one WTA ranking alive as she stormed past Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday and into her first semi-final at the Australian Open.

"It only took me ten years to get here," joked the Russian fourth seed who spent just over 90 minutes in burning 39.5 degrees Celsius heat as summer weather took hold in Melbourne,

Melbourne  - Aussie-to-be Jarmila Gajdosova, born a Slovak, is running out of patience with the glacial pace of the Down Under bureaucracy.

The 21-year-old has been in the queue for citizenship in her intended tennis nation after moving to Melbourne to demonstrate her good faith.

"We've done everything we could, and it's (the government's) decision now. Tennis Australia is very confident the answer will be yes," she told local media. "I'd love to be playing as an Australian through the whole year."