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Daniela Hantuchova Outduels Alisa Kleybanova
By Adrianna Outlaw
© Tony Chang/Chang Photography
(August 6, 2010) Turnover at the top has seen all three top seeds — Jelena Jankovic, Samantha Stosur and Vera Zvonareva — fail to reach the final four in San Diego. Unseeded veterans Daniela Hantuchova and Svetlana Kuznetsova both withstood challenges from big-hitting opponents to reach the Mercury Insurance Open semifinals.
Hantuchova was unbreakable in the final set in outdueling Alisa Kleybanova, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in two hours, seven minutes.
The 27th-ranked Hantuchova, who has won two of her three career titles in Indian Wells, will play either fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska or seventh-seeded Shahar Peer in Saturday's semifinals.
Fifth-seeded Flavia Pennetta continued her mastery of the second-seeded Stosur with a routine 6-4, 6-3 victory that left the normally focused French Open finalist muttering to herself and dropping her racquet in disgust.
"It's a good feeling because she's one of the best players," Pennetta said. "She has had an unbelievable year. It's never easy to beat this kind of player. For me, it's much better to play against her."
Pennetta will play Svetlana Kuznetsova for a spot in the final. It is Kuznetsova's first semifinal of the season as the World No. 21 tries to work her way back into the top 10.
Two-time Grand Slam champ Kuznetsova came back from a 2-5 hole and saved a set point in the first set to snap 18-year-old Californian CoCo Vandeweghe's five-match winning streak wtih a 7-5, 6-2 win.
"I think I won by experience," said Kuznetsova. "I wasn't playing my best game. I think she was so confident (Thursday). It took me time to break her up."
Vandeweghe upset Wimbledon finalist Zvonareva on Thursday, but was weary from a busy week in which she won three matches in qualifying en route to her first career WTA Tour quarterfinal. As a consolation, Vandeweghe said she received a wild card into Cincinnati.
"I came in a little bit tired from last night, a little heavy legged," said Vandeweghe. "I had a great first set. She's a two-time Grand Slam champion for a reason."
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