TENNIS in DEPTH.

Unseeded Zheng Jie set up a semi-final showdown with Justine Henin after a straight sets demolition of Maria Kirilenko at the Australian Open.

Zheng, who becomes the first Chinese player to reach the last four in Melbourne, was always in control against Kirilenko as she raced to a 6-1 6-3 victory.

And the 26-year-old, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist, knows she now faces a much tougher test against former champion Henin.

“Henin for me is such a good player,” Zheng said.

“She’s so strong mentally – I just want to go out there and enjoy the match and play well.”

Kirilenko had caused one of the shocks of the tournament by toppling 2008 champion Maria Sharapova.

However the 23-year-old looked out of sorts against Zheng and was clearly troubled by injury – with her left thigh heavily strapped while she needed a medical time out at the end of the first set.

Zheng, a doubles champion in Melbourne four years ago, took just 34 minutes to wrap up the first set with Kirilenko unable to match her rival’s impressive range of groundstrokes.

And Zheng was able to continue her dominance in the final set as she broke in the first and last games to book her place in semi-finals.

Kirilenko, who continued to receive treatment throughout the set, had chances to break in the sixth game but she couldn’t level the match.

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