Melbourne, Australia (Betting Express) - Top-seeded American Lindsay Davenport and 19th-seeded Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy both advanced to the semifinals of the 2005 Australian Open with victories on a hot Wednesday.

The two will face each other in the round of four here on Thursday.

Davenport needed three grueling sets to squeak past 10th-seeded hometown favorite Alicia Molik 6-4, 4-6, 9-7 in 2 hours, 33 minutes. The 2000 Aussie Open titlist Davenport is a three-time Grand Slam champion and has now won all four matchups with Molik, including a victory at Wimbledon in 2001.

Molik was the first Aussie woman to reach the semis here in 17 years.

Davenport had to fight off two break points in the final game of the match, before sealing the deal with a big forehand that Molik was unable to reach.

The 28-year-old Davenport advanced despite committing 40 unforced errors and an uncharacteristic 11 double faults, including one that gave the rising Molik the second set.

"The bottom line is I probably had a chance to win," Molik said. "Today is the one that got away." Molik was born in Adelaide but resides in Melbourne.

A relieved Davenport will compete in her fifth Aussie Open semifinal (1-3).

"My game revolves around my serve, and I struggled a bit," Davenport said. "I just got out of rhythm. I was still able to win and get her back at the end."

The Olympic bronze medalist Molik, who will turn 24 on Thursday, had won her last 12 matches before running into the world No. 1 Davenport, who secured a berth in the women's doubles final, alongside fellow American Corina Morariu, later on Day 10 of this Aussie fortnight. Morariu celebrated her 27th birthday on Wednesday.

In Day 10's other women's singles quarterfinal, Dechy disposed of 12th-seeded Swiss Patty Schnyder 5-7, 6-1, 7-5 to reach her first-ever Grand Slams semi. Dechy had failed to get past the fourth round in her 36 previous majors.

Dechy evened the all-time series with the lefthanded Schnyder at two matches apiece and is now 2-1 against her in Melbourne. Schnyder topped Dechy in the fourth round here last year and also beat the Frenchwoman in the first round of the Aussie Open back in 1998.

Dechy will meet Davenport for a sixth time, with the American claiming their first five bouts, including a first-round win at the 1997 Aussie Open. Davenport also beat Dechy in Sydney just two weeks ago.

Davenport hasn't captured a major title since her success here in Melbourne five years ago.

Thursday's other semifinal matchup will pit fourth-seeded Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova against seventh-seeded Wimbledon runner-up Serena Williams, a six-time Grand Slam champ who titled in Melbourne in 2003.

Serena will look to exact a bit of revenge on the 17-year-old Sharapova on Thursday. The Russian sensation earned her title at Wimbledon last year by stunning Serena in the final and the teen also defeated Serena later in 2004 with a three-set title match victory at the WTA Tour Championships. Sharapova is 2-1 lifetime against the powerful American.

The 23-year-old Serena is 7-3 in her previous Grand Slams semis, while Sharapova is 1-0.