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18 September 2004
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Saturday
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02 Shaban 1425
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Kuznetsova in last four
BALI, Sept 17: US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova overcame a tough first-set challenge from wild card Angelique Widjaja to reach the semifinals of the Wismilak International with a 7-5 6-1 victory on Friday.
The Russian was in real difficulty in the first set against a fearless Indonesian opponent who returned with pace and accuracy during rallies. Widjaja, ranked 144 in the world, would not allow her opponent to settle and twice recovered breaks of serve before holding two points to lead the opening set at 5-3.
But Kuznetsova broke back to lead 6-5 by enticing the former Wimbledon and French Open junior champion into a backhand error then closed out the set on her fourth set point. The second seed played more composed tennis in the second set, breaking serve in a long first game and all but assuring herself of victory with a further break for 4-1.
But the plucky Widjaja continued to challenge, holding a break point in the fifth game before dropping her serve a final time. Kuznetsova will face fourth seed Nadia Petrova in the semifinals after her fellow Russian beat Italy's Tathiana Garbin 6-1 7-5.
QUARTERFINALS RESULTS (SINGLES): Maria Elena Camerin bt Gisela Dulko 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Marlene Weingartner bt Yoon Jeong Choo 6-4, 5-7, 6-2; Nadia Petrova bt Tathiana Garbin 6-1, 7-5; Svetlana Kutnetsova bt Angelique Widjaja) 7-5, 6-1.
NALBANDIAN BEATEN
BEIJING: Finn Jarkko Nieminen overpowered David Nalbandian 6-2 2-6 6-2 at the China Open on Friday as the seeds continued to tumble in Beijing. The top four seeds will be missing from the semifinals following early exits for Spaniards Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero, along with fourth-seeded German Rainer Schuettler.
QUARTERFINALS RESULTS: Mikhail Youzhny bt Dominik Hrbaty 6-4, 6-2; Paradorn Srichaphan bt Hyung-taik Lee 6-4, 6-3; Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) bt David Nalbandian 6-2, 2-6, 6-2; Marat Safin bt Kevin Kim 6-2, 6-4
ROMANIAN OPEN
BUCHAREST: Results of quarterfinals matches at the 351,000 euro Romanian Open ATP tennis clay tournament on Friday: Igor Andreev bt Felix Mantilla 6-4 6-2; Florian Mayer bt David Ferrer 6-4 6-2; Jose Acasuso bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2 7-6 (7-2); Filippo Volandri bt Victor Hanescu 6-3 6-1. -Agencies
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