DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Top-ranked Serena Williams had little trouble joining sister Venus, in the Dubai Championships semifinals on Thursday. Rudy Tomjanovich Jersey . Serena, playing her first tournament since a fourth-round loss at the Australian Open, had little trouble bypassing fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia 6-2, 6-2 in the quarterfinals. The only blip in Williams game came when she lost serve in a tentatively played fifth game in the first set. "She was the better player tonight," Jankovic said. "Way better. "I just played a bad match on my terms." The only drama in the 76-minute match came in the final game with Jankovic serving. The umpire, Kader Nouni of France, told Jankovic she was serving too fast and then too slow, when taking more than the 25 seconds allotted. Williams was briefly brought into the fray when Jankovic made note that Williams often took more than the 25 seconds allowed to serve. After the match, the players conversed at the net and both reported they left the court on good terms. "I told her at the end, Look, I didnt mean anything. Im sorry if I played slow," Williams said. "She was like, No, it was more like they say (I) play too fast and then too slow. She said she couldnt get it right. "I was like, Look, are we cool because Im cool with you?" In that final game, Jankovic initially rebounded from love-40 before Williams won on a fourth match point with a scorching forehand passing shot. Williams will play Alize Cornet of France in the semifinals. Cornet scored a 7-5, 6-3 win over Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain. Venus Williams reached her fourth Dubai semifinal with a 6-3, 7-5 win over qualifier Flavia Pennetta of Italy. Williams, who won this title in 2009 and 2010, had to serve for the match twice in the second set. "She just keeps fighting," Williams said of Pennetta. "She stays relevant. Thats what she does really well. I have to give her credit for that." Serving at 5-4 in the second set, Williams missed out on a match point when Pennetta hit a forehand crosscourt winner to bring the score to deuce. Four points later and Pennetta broke serve to even the score at 5-5. After Pennetta dropped serve in the 11th game Williams had a second chance to close out the match. Initially, Williams fell behind 0-40. On a second match point Pennetta popped a return long to concede the win. Williams will play eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, the 2011 Dubai champion, in Fridays semifinals. Wozniacki had little trouble dispatching 27th-ranked Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-1, 6-2. "That was really pleasing, and I always know that Sorana can be a tricky opponent," Wozniacki said. "I felt like I served well and I put the pressure on her and played the way I wanted to play today." Although not guaranteed, Venus Williams wasnt opposed to thinking ahead to the possibility of an all-Williams final on Saturday. "It would be fantastic," Venus said. "But we both have to get there." P. J. Tucker Jersey . -- The taxing preseason, which included two games in China, is finally over. Steve Francis Jersey . -- Hal Steinbrenner says Alex Rodriguez is "a great player" and "obviously an asset," but the New York Yankees managing general partner wouldnt discuss the third basemans possible return to the team following a season-long suspension. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/577z-matt-maloney-jersey-rockets.html . He will play 10th-seeded Feliciano Lopez in Sundays final, after the Spanish left-hander defeated Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7), 6-4.CANTON, Ohio -- Kemba Walker scored 14 points, Gerald Henderson added 13 and the Charlotte Bobcats beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-74 in a preseason game on Tuesday night. The Bobcats (2-2) trailed 35-23 early in the second quarter, but cut the lead to 42-40 at halftime. Charlotte outscored Cleveland 32-17 in the third quarter to go ahead 72-59 and pulled away. Kyrie Irving and C.J. Miles led the Cavaliers (2-1) with 15 points apiece.. Moses Malone Jersey. . Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 pick in the draft, scored seven points in 20 minutes before fouling out. Bobcats guard Ben Gordon, who scored 10 points, was given a double technical and ejected midway through the fourth quarter. Josh McRoberts and Ramon Sessions added 11 apiece for the Bobcats. Cleveland rookie Kenny Kadjl suffered a cut over his right eye and was taken to the locker room for three stitches. ' ' '