Vera Zvonareva tells BBC TV: "I am still excited about the match - it is definitely one of my dreams to play here in the semi-final. I remember as a kid watching Wimbledon on TV and I am looking forward to the semi-final. I was able to hang in there today and play some good tennis out there. Women's tennis is at a very high level, there is a lot of competition and a lot of girls are playing great tennis and it will be a very tough match against Pironkova."

Clijsters 6-3 4-6 2-6 Zvonareva
A fourth double-fault from Clijstersand the Belgian falls 15-30 behind courtesy of an over-zealous forehand. Two match points for Zvonareva as Clijsters puts a sliced backhand long but how ballsy is that from the Belgian, hitting the lines from behind the baseline before stepping in and putting away the forehand winner. But Zvonareva's done it! Another unforced error on the forehand side and the Russian is into her first Wimbledon semi-final in an hour and 47 minutes - the day of shocks continues...

*Clijsters 6-3 4-6 2-5 Zvonareva
Great pick-up from Clijsters at the net and she forces Zvonareva into a mistake with some penetrating hitting from behind the baseline. Zvonareva recovers well on the next point, attacking the net and eventually putting away a backhand volley, before Clijsters yanks a backhand miles long after losing position. Ace from Zvonareva, she's one game away from the semi-finals...

Clijsters 6-3 4-6 2-4 Zvonareva*
Clijsters races into a 30-0 lead, make that 40-0, before bunting a backhand long. Clijsters then serves up her third double but does knuckle down to hold.

*Clijsters 6-3 4-6 1-4 Zvonareva
Zvonareva outhits Clijsters again from the back of the court and the Clijsters game is barely simmering now, with her forehand lukewarm. Winning return from Clijsters before the Belgian takes apart the Russian's second serve to make it 40-30. But that's not great from Clijsters, bombing a backhand six feet long. Clijsters keeps on giving away games, you've got to make someone with Zvonareva's reputation for choking play, right to the finish line.

Clijsters 6-3 4-6 1-3 Zvonareva*
Two break points for Zvonareva, Clijsters looking pretty ragged now as she plonks a rather lazy-looking forehand into the net. Zvonareva's not the greatest challenger in the world, that's another one gone and she's about a foot wide, but Clijsters has handed it to her, missing with another wild-looking forehand...

*Clijsters 6-3 4-6 1-2 Zvonareva
Apologies for the short entry but my computer crashed - shame, because it was a good game, with Zvonareva going down 0-30 before showing great confidence and attacking verve to win the game. This could go all the way to the wire, and at the moment I'm leaning towards the Russian.

Clijsters 6-3 4-6 1-1 Zvonareva*
Too many unforced errors from the Belgian at the moment and that's another break point for Zvonareva as Clijsters plays a very speculative drive-backhand-volley on the turn. Clijsters pulls out a big first serve to hold, then finds a big second, but Zvonareva hits back to bring it back to deuce. That's a well-worked point from Zvonareva to create another break point, the Russian finishing the point off with a backhand down the line, but Clijsters saves with only her second ace of the match. She follows up with her slickest serve of the match so far but then tugs a backhand wide. Another well-directed first serve from Clijsters and she puts away a forehand winner and Zvonareva then puts a backhand well long - big hold that...

*Clijsters 6-3 4-6 0-1 Zvonareva
Zvonareva even raised a smile towards the end of that last game, which suggests she's revelling in this rather than wilting. And that's a very impressive hold at the start of the deciding set, not much coming back from Clijsters...
* denotes next server

Clijsters 6-3 4-6 Zvonareva*
Zvonareva really putting some serious purchase on her forehand and she causes Clijsters to tug one wide. Clijsters then pushes a backhand wide and all of a sudden the Russian has two break points. The Belgian saves one but that's a gift from Clijsters, a double fault hands Zvonareva the set...

*Clijsters 6-3 4-5 Zvonareva
Huge slice of luck for Clijsters as she gets a wicked net cord to make it 0-30, but that's cool from Zvonareva, pulling out a big delivery before putting away the overhead. But Clijsters hits back, eventually putting Zvonareva away with a big backhand pass to create two break-back points. The Russian saves one but that's very harsh on Zvonareva, Clijsters breaking with the second net cord of the game. Can Zvonareva recover from that or will the injustice cause her to melt?

Clijsters 6-3 3-5 Zvonareva*
Clijsters moves into a 30-0 lead with a laced forehand pass before Zvonareva hooks a forehand wide. Clijsters pulling out some bombs in that game, finishing things off with a clubbed cross-court forehand. Zvonareva to serve for the set...

*Clijsters 6-3 2-5 Zvonareva
Zvonareva scooting through another service game with some more heavy serving, and Clijsters is struggling against the tide at the moment, this looks like it's going all the way.

Clijsters 6-3 2-4 Zvonareva*
Zvonareva misses the sideline with a forehand before Clijsters pulls her opponent this way and that before finishing her off with a backhand down the line.

*Clijsters 6-3 1-4 Zvonareva
Double fault from Zvonareva makes it 30-30 but she recovers well, hammering an ace down the middle. That's a fine point from Clijsters, getting into position well and putting away the round-arm smash, and Clijsters keeps the game alive again with a dinked forehand followed by a whipped forehand volley. Clijsters hooks a backhand wide and hands the game to her rival with a tame bunt into the net. Clijsters has got a punch-up on her hands.

Clijsters 6-3 1-3 Zvonareva*
Zvonareva really giving it a rip from behind the baseline as she pulls it back to 30-30 and she outlasts Clijsters again, the Belgian hooking a forehand long, before finally forcing a break. Clijsters has gone a bit blunt at the start of the second set, and Zvonareva is looking sharper.

*Clijsters 6-3 1-2 Zvonareva
Zvonareva proving pretty formidable on serve, zipping through that game in barely a minute...

Clijsters 6-3 1-1 Zvonareva*
Zvonareva knifes a forehand long before Clijsters rather snatches at a forehand volley and plonks it into a net - 30-30. Break point, Zvonareva setting it up with a fizzing backhand down the line. Clijsters with a brave drive volley and Zvonareva eschews the pass for a rather speculative lob, which lands well long. And it's a hold, Clijsters stepping into a backhand and driving it down the line.

*Clijsters 6-3 0-1 Zvonareva
Big test for Zvonareva now, and she's passing it so far, moving into a 40-0 lead on serve courtesy of two howitzer first serves. Net cord for the Russian to win the game...
* denotes next server

Clijsters 6-3 Zvonareva*
Zvonareva bunts a forehand into the net and the shoulders slump for perhaps the first time. She gives her thigh a slap like a drunken sailor in a bid to pep herself up before Clijsters shows us her full wingspan and puts a tremendous forehand volley away. Clijsters wins a battle of double-fisted backhands and wins the set in just under 40 minutes as the Russian puts a backhand return long.

*Clijsters 5-3 Zvonareva
Clijsters returning serve with interest with the new balls and she moves into a 0-30 lead. The first double fault from Zvonareva, she's down 0-40 again... rasping backhand from the Russian saves one break point but Clijsters bites her hand off next time round, leaving the Russian flailing with a meaty forehand.

Clijsters 4-3 Zvonareva*
Zvonareva gets a good sighter of that serve from Clijsters and slaps it back with extra manners to make it 30-30. The Belgian hits back with a tracer down the line on the forehand wing before picking up a volley off her toes. Clijsters gets a shooter off the baseline as Zvonareva makes it deuce but the Russian then steers a backhand wide. Bit wild from Clijsters with a forehand from behind the baseline and she follows up with a ballooned forehand long - break point. The door left slightly ajar but Zvonareva muffs the forehand pass. Clijsters seems to be getting a little bit overpowered here but she saves another break point with a searing forehand cross-court pass before Zvonareva crashes a forehand miles long - Mrs Clijsters holds.

Brad Gilbert on Twitter: "I believe if anybody has a shot of stopping the all-Williams final, only Kim Clijsters can do that."

*Clijsters 3-3 Zvonareva
It is only drops and drops at the moment so play will continue. That's nice from Zvonareva, wrong-footing Clijsters with a backhand down the T, and she moves to 40-0 with an ace down the middle. "A little extra mustard on that one," says McEnroe, who could be pretty mustardy at times. And that's another solid hold from Zvonareva, the 21st seed sealing the game with an overhead.

Clijsters 3-2 Zvonareva*
It's largely a slugging match, but that's not to say there isn't any ring-craft on display. Clijsters sends down her hardest serve of the day and Zvonareva square-cuts down the line for a winning return. Zvonareva buckles on the backhand side and that's another hold as this squally rain drops in again...

*Clijsters 2-2 Zvonareva
Good speed from Clijsters, chasing down the ball at the net and executing a fizzing backhand pass. Wild forehand from the Russian before Clijsters shows tremendous scrambling skills from the rear of the court and puts away a forehand pass on the gallop - three break points. Zvonareva saves one, and another as Clijsters plonks a backhand into the net... and another, Clijsters finding the net with a forehand this time. That's gossamer touch at the net from Zvonareva, stooping and scooping over on the backhand wing, and she holds - not sure anyone expected that after being 0-40 down.

Clijsters 2-1 Zvonareva*
Goolagong, a graceful serve and volleyer in her day, might be perturbed to learn that this pair have served and volleyed just twice between them so far this Wimbledon. But the Clijsters serve is working well enough so far, a straightforward hold for the reigning US Open champion.

*Clijsters 1-1 Zvonareva
It looks to be brightening up out there, no sign of the roof coming on just yet. The last person to win the women's singles crown as a mum was Evonne Goolagong, and she's looking down on Clijsters from the Royal Box today... easy hold for Zvonareva, she's giving the ball a fair old wallop at the moment...

Clijsters 1-0 Zvonareva*
It's Clijsters to serve first andrain starts to fall as the first rally gets under way. Clijsters punches a forehand out before reeling off a dreamy backhand pass on the swivel. Corker. Zvonareva pushes a forehand long before Clijsters gives her a sniff with a forehand wide. Zvonareva is a bomber from the back of the court but she mixes things up well there, eventually skipping into the net and putting away a backhand volley. Clijsters goes for broke with a top-spin forehand but it just misses the sideline. It's advantage Zvonareva as Clijsters finds the net with a forehand but Clijsters saves break point with a solid backhand volley. And it's a hold for Mrs Clijsters as Zvonareva puts a backhand long.
* denotes next server

1302: The tension was palpable as they waited to be given the nod to walk onto court, and Zvonareva has form when it comes to tension - Lindsay Davenport has just recalled an occasion when they met at SW19 and the Russian was sobbing at the changeover. "She must have thought I was really bad," chuckles dear old Lindsay, sounding like she loved every minute of it...

1257: Here come the girls - and I'm not talking about Elaine 'I Know Him So Well' Paige and Evonne Goolagong-Cawley up in the Royal Box. The 25-year-old Zvonareva has never reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon before and her best in a Grand Slam was the last four of the Australian in 2009. Clijsters, positively ancient at 27, has reached the last four at the All England Club twice, but never the final.

1250: You alright? Smashing. It's women's quarter-finals day today and first up on Centre Court we've got one of my favourite lady tennis players Kim Clijsters against Russian 21st seed Vera Zvonareva. This pair have met five times previously, and the Belgian eighth seed has won all five, including at SW19 in 2006. They look pretty well matched though on current form, could be the pick of today's matches.