UPDATE 1-Tennis-Ivanovic saves three match points to reach semis

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By Sonia Oxley

LONDON, July 5 (Reuters) - Ana Ivanovic saved three match points before overcoming fellow teenager Nicole Vaidisova 4-6 6-2 7-5 on Thursday to reach her first Wimbledon semi-final.

The 19-year-old Serb, runner-up at the French Open last month, will face Venus Williams for a place in the final.

Facing defeat in the ninth game of the third set, Ivanovic saved three match points on her serve to get herself back into the contest and then broke to turn the tables on her opponent.

A double fault by 18-year-old Vaidisova handed a delighted Ivanovic the match after two hours on court.

"Today I still probably haven't realised what happened," sixth seed Ivanovic told a news conference.

"It was an unbelievable match. To win like this was amazing."

Vaidisova, who overcame defending champion Amelie Mauresmo in the previous round, broke in the first game of the match and that was enough for her to claim a scrappy first set despite her 16 unforced errors.

Ivanovic blamed her nervous start on stage fright because she was playing on Centre Court for the first time.

"I was really intimidated when I first stepped on the court," she told a news conference. "To have the chance to play on Centre Court, that was already amazing, so I was a little bit nervous in the beginning. But then as the match went on, I tried to focus on my game more."

Vaidisova again managed an early break in the second but the Serb refused to let this set go the way of the first, breaking back immediately and producing a string of forehand winners to break again in the sixth and eighth.

"I wanted to win so much. I played some good tennis when it counted the most," Ivanovic said.

"In the third set, even when I was a break down, I just knew I could do it. I had the feeling I could win this match."

Ivanovic said she knew her semi-final against Williams was going to be difficult especially since the American has rediscovered in her past couple of matches the sort of form that took her to three Wimbledon titles.

"It's going to be very tough match. Venus is in a great shape," she said.

Keywords: TENNIS WIMBLEDON/IVANOVIC