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BRUSSELS, Feb 18: French top seed Amelie Mauresmo fought back to beat Switzerland's Patty Schnyder 4-6 6-4 6-3 to reach the semi-finals of the Antwerp Diamond Games tournament on Friday.
In the last four she will face in-form Australian Alicia Molik who beat Czech Klara Koukalova 6-3 6-4. World number two Mauresmo started poorly but eventually imposed her power-based game on Schnyder, sealing victory on her second match point with a volley that the Swiss could only net.
Fourth seed Molik, a quarter-inalist at the Australian Open in January, was an impressive winner over Koukalova. A single break was enough for her to clinch the first set and she was quickly 5-1 up in the second. Koukalova fought back to 5-4 before Molik wrapped up victory on serve.
Later on Friday twice former winner Venus Williams of the United States takes on local favourite and former world number one Kim Clijsters, who has been in good form on her latest comeback from a serious wrist injury. Russia's second seed Anastasia Myskina will start as favourite to beat Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik in the other quarterfinal.
QUARTERFINAL RESULTS: Amelie Mauresmo (France) bt 7-Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) 4-6 6-4 6-3; Alicia Molik (Australia) bt Klara Koukalova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-4.
HAAS IN QUARTERFINALS
RALEIGH: Second-seeded German Tommy Haas eased into the quarterfinals of the Kroger St Jude ATP event on Thursday with a 7-6 6-3 victory over American Kevin Kim on Thursday.
Haas fired down 10 aces against his unseeded opponent to advance further than two other seeds in the men's draw, who were eliminated in contrasting style. Third-seeded Vince Spadea was forced to retire from his match because of a shoulder injury when trailing 2-0 in the second set to France's Antony Dupuis.
The Frenchman had taken the opening set 7-5. Sixth-seeded American Mardy Fish was also knocked out, despite sending down 14 aces against compatriot Robby Ginepri. Ginepri broke serve three times and never faced a break point in his 6-1 7-5 victory that set up a quarter-final showdown with top seed Andy Roddick.
RESULTS:
MEN (SECOND ROUND): Tommy Haas (Germany) bt Kevin Kim (U.S.) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3; Antony Dupuis (France) bt 3-Vince Spadea (U.S.) 7-5 2-0 retired Xavier Malisse (Belgium) bt Frank Dancevic (Canada) 6-2 6-2; Robby Ginepri (U.S.) bt 6-Mardy Fish (U.S.) 6-1 7-5; Max Mirnyi (Belarus) bt Cyril Saulnier (France) 7-5 6-4; Kenneth Carlsen (Denmark) bt Wayne Arthurs (Australia) 6-4 7-6 (7-5); Jan-Michael Gambill (U.S.) bt Irakli Labadze (Georgia) 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (7-3).
WOMEN (QUARTERFINALS): Vera Zvonareva (Russia) bt Katerina Bondarenko (Ukraine) 7-5 6-0; Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) bt Cho Yoon-jeong (South Korea) 6-1 6-2; Nicole Vaidisova (Czech Republic) bt Jamea Jackson (U.S.) 6-2 6-7 (7-2) 6-4 Evgenia Linetskaya (Russia) bt Akiko Morigami (Japan) 6-2 6-2
JOHANSSON IN SEMIS
ROTTERDAM: Sweden's Thomas Johansson strolled through to the World Indoor Tournament semi-finals with a 6-2 7-6 win over Czech Radek Stepanek on Friday. The 2002 Australian Open champion was in impressive form for most of the 100-minute contest and will meet Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic, a 3-6 6-4 6-2 winner over Paradorn Srichaphan.
QUARTERFINALS RESULTS: Thomas Johansson (SWE) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5); Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) bt Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. -Agencies
