The Hindu : Sport : Sania sails into the semifinals

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Sunday, Jul 22, 2007
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Sania sails into the semifinals

Lee Hyung-Taik eliminates Safin in Los Angeles

— Photo: AP

SMOOTH SAILING: Sania Mirza entered the last four at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open with a facile win over Olga Govortsova on Friday.

Cincinnati: Third-seeded Sania Mirza had little problem advancing to the semifinals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open here on Friday.

The Indian star scored a facile 6-1, 6-1 win over Olga Govortsova of Belarus, who was making her first quarterfinals appearance in a WTA event.

“You want to win (6-1, 6-1) at any stage of the tournament, but it does give you extra confidence,” Sania said. “You’re in the quarterfinals, so you’re playing the best eight, and you get an easy win.”

Chakvetadze is next

This will be Mirza’s first semifinal appearance here after quarterfinal exits each of the last two years. In the semifinals she will play top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze. The Russian booked a last four berth when compatriot Elena Vesnina was unable to complete their match.

Trailing 6-7(3), 6-0, 4-1, the sixth-seeded Vesnina retired with a right shoulder strain. In their only career meeting earlier this year, Chakvetadze defeated Mirza 6-4, 6-1 in Hobart, Australia.

Schnyder ousted

Meanwhile in a major upset, seventh-seeded Akiko Morigami of Japan ousted second-seeded Patty Schnyder. Morigami downed Schnyder 6-3, 6-1 to claim her first victory over the Swiss in their fourth meeting. Morigami had never taken a set off Schnyder before.

Closer to 10th title

In Los Angeles, James Blake moved a step closer to his 10th career ATP singles title when he booked a semifinal berth at the Countrywide Classic here on Friday. The second-seeded American beat countryman Vincent Spadea 7-6(2), 6-4.

Spadea had reached the quarterfinals by upsetting fifth-seeded Dmitry Tursunov of Russia.

Blake will meet seventh-seeded Lee Hyung-Taik in the last four, the Korean having come from behind to upset Safin 4-6 7-5 6-4.

Nadal in final

At the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart, top-seeded Rafael Nadal reached the final on Saturday with a 6-1, 7-5 win against Feliciano Lopez.

Important results: At Cincinnati (WTA Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open): Quarterfinals: Anna Chakvetadze bt Elena Vesnina 6-7(3), 6-0, 4-1, retd..

Sania Mirza bt Olga Govortsova 6-1, 6-1; Akiko Morigami bt Patty Schnyder 6-3, 6-1; Akgul Amanmuradova bt Lilia Osterloh 6-1, 6-4.

At Los Angeles (ATP Countrywide Classic): Quarterfinals: James Blake bt Vincent Spadea 7-6(2), 6-4; Lee Hyung-Taik bt Marat Safin 4-6, 7-5, 6-4; Nicolas Kiefer bt Michael Berrer 7-6(5), 6-1; Radek Stepanek bt Zack Fleishman 6-4, 6-2.

At Stuttgart (ATP Mercedes Cup): Semifinals: Rafael Nadal bt Feliciano Lopez 6-1, 7-5. Quarterfinals: Feliciano Lopez bt Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Rafael Nadal bt Juan Monaco 6-1, 6-3.

At Palermo (WTA Palermo International): Quarterfinals: Sara Errani bt Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-2, 6-0; Agnes Szavay bt Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-3; Martina Muller bt Flavia Pennetta 6-3, 3-6, 6-4; Karin Knapp bt Emilie Loit 6-3, 7-6(6).

At Amersfoort (ATP Dutch Open): Semifinals: Werner Eschauer bt Robin Haase 6-4, 6-4. Quarterfinals: Steve Darcis bt Igor Andreev 6-3, 6-4; Robin Haase bt Florent Serra 4-6, 7-5, 6-4. — Agencies

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