Top seeds Venus Williams and Justine Henin won their semifinals on Friday to advance to Saturday's final of the Australian women's hardcourt championships. Williams, 21, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon champion, beat Belgian teenager Henin in last year's Wimbledon final.

The American world number three led Russian Nadia Petrova 7-6 6-5 on Friday before Petrova withdrew because of injury. Petrova had been troubled this week by a shoulder-pectoral muscle injury.
Number two seed Henin, the world number seven, beat seventh-seeded Czech Daja Bedanova 6-2 6-2. Bureau Report