Left: Serena Williams grimaces as she plays Justine Henin during their match on Centre Court yesterday. - APRight: Venus Williams of the U.S. after winning her singles match against Russia's Maria Sharapova at Wimbledon yesterday. - Reuters

WIMBLEDON, England (AP):

JUSTINE HENIN took advantage of an injured Serena Williams at Wimbledon yesterday, advancing to the semi-finals with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over the two-time champion.

Although Williams managed to win the middle set, Henin's variety of shots kept the American moving. On Monday, Williams collapsed on the court with a strained left calf during her fourth-round win. She played against Henin yesterday with her leg, left wrist and thumb taped.

"Definitely not 100 per cent at all," Williams said of her condition. "It was probably at 40 or 50 - max.

"If I had been healthy I think I would have won, 100 per cent."

Venus advances

Venus Williams advanced to the quarter-finals, dominating 2004 champion Maria Sharapova and winning 6-1, 6-3 in a two-day match that included a nearly two-hour rain delay.

On the men's side, Rafael Nadal advanced to the fourth round in a rain-interrupted match that finished four days after he first stepped on court.

The top-ranked Henin said she didn't notice Serena Williams had trouble moving.

"Maybe a little at the beginning of the match," Henin said. "After that, I think she could run pretty much, especially on the drop shots and everything."

Henin first served for the match at 5-1 in the third set but several unforced errors and a rejuvenated Serena Williams briefly extended the match.

"I was a bit nervous at the end," said Henin, who is trying to complete a career Grand Slam by winning at the All England Club. "But finally I could finish the match ... and that was really important because who knows what would happen if it was 5-4."

Henin also beat Serena Williams in the quarter-finals at the French Open this year. She went on to win her fourth title at Roland Garros.

In the semi-finals, Henin will face No.18 Marion Bartoli. The 22-year-old Frenchwoman beat No. 31 Michaella Krajicek, the younger sister of 1996 Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Venus Williams wasted seven break points in the third game of the second set against Sharapova but broke in the seventh and ninth games to advance.

"In my whole life I've been a big-match player," the three-time Wimbledon champion said. "I always believe in my game. I know I have a lot of stuff others players don't have."

Williams had 19 break points in the match, converting four of them. Sharapova failed to even earn a break point and only pushed Williams to deuce once on the American's serve.

"The serve definitely was a weapon," said Williams, who will face 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-finals.

After Sharapova sent a forehand into the net on match point, Williams smiled and waved to the crowd while her father, Richard, stood with his arms raised in celebration.

The match started on Tuesday afternoon, but only three points were played before rain forced suspension. Early in the second set yesterday, Williams and Sharapova had to wait through another rain delay that lasted nearly two hours.

"I don't know if it was the wind or a slow start. She got off to a fast start," Sharapova said. "I just didn't feel really comfortable in the first set."

Stoppages and postponements

The rain at Wimbledon this year has caused stoppages and postponements on eight of the tournament's nine days.

Nadal fell to his knees in relief after finally beating Robin Soderling 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (7), 4-6, 7-5. The 2006 Wimbledon runner-up finally won on his sixth match point, the final five coming two days after the first.

"The toughest match maybe (of) my career," Nadal said. "Because the stops always were tougher for me than for him because I was winning."