Magdalena Rybarikova vs Marion Bartoli
Israel’s Shahar Peer will play top seed Marion Bartoli for a place in the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Tournament of Champions in Bali.
The number seven seed set up the clash after defeating Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1 7-6 (7-4) in 87 minutes on Thursday.
Peer, ranked number 32 in the world, was a doubt to even compete at the event after concerns over whether she would be granted a visa to enter Indonesia.
France’s Aravane Rezai battled back from 5-2 down in the second set to secure her place in the semi-finals with a 6-3 7-5 Group D win over Hungary’s Melinda Czink.
The victory, combined with her triumph over Sabine Lisicki of Germany on Wednesday, secures her place in the last four.
Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez lost the first set before fighting to a 4-6 6-4 6-0 win over Agnes Szavay of Hungary in Group B.
She will now play second seed Samantha Stosur of Australia for a place in the last four.
In the day’s final game, Japan’s Kimiko Date Krumm claimed a 6-4 6-3 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain in Group C.
Shahar Peer made a winning debut Thursday at the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions and now stands ready to challenge top seed Marion Batoli for a semi-final place. The Israeli, who won back-to-back titles in September but needed to fight for a visa to enter the Muslim nation, defeated Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) to increase her own hopes while eliminating the Slovak from the race to the weekend. ‘I’m glad I found a way to win match in two sets,’ said Peer. ‘It could have easily gone to a third. I played very smart today and did the right thing.’ Peer, ranked 31, will next play 2007 Wimbledon finalist Bartoli with the winner reaching the semis. The field at the 600,000-dollar tournament comprises the 10 highest-ranking players who have won a WTA International title this year but who did not compete in the season-ending WTA Championships in Qatar. There are also a pair of wildcards in the field. Asia’s lone representative, 39-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm, finds herself thick in the battle for a last-four place at the year-ender after defeating Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4, 6-3. The straight-set victory – Date Krumm forced the issue with 15 break points – was absolutely essential for the born-again tennis veteran to stay alive in the round-robin competition. The Japanese star, who ended her career more than a decade ago only to re-start in 2008, broke six times on the way to victory. Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai was first into the semi-finals, defeating Hungarian Melinda Czink 6-3, 7-5 defeat in just under 90 minutes. Rezai goes through with a flawless 2-0 mark, with the number 44 aiming to lift the second title of her career after Strasbourg in May. But the winner had to struggle in the second set, coming from 1-5 down against a jittery opponent. ‘It was pretty tough, a very difficult set,’ said Rezai. ‘I knew I had nothing to lose so I might as well fight for it. She got nervous because she saw that I was present on the court. I took my chances for the win.’ Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez denied Agnes Szavay with a 4- 6, 6-4, 6-0 win to leave the Hungarian out of the running on 0-2.
Shahar Peer made a winning debut Thursday at the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions and now stands ready to challenge top seed Marion Batoli for a semi-final place.
The Israeli, who won back-to-back titles in September but needed to fight for a visa to enter the Muslim nation, defeated Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) to increase her own hopes while eliminating the Slovak from the race to the weekend.
‘I’m glad I found a way to win match in two sets,’ said Peer. ‘It could have easily gone to a third. I played very smart today and did the right thing.’
Peer, ranked 31, will next play 2007 Wimbledon finalist Bartoli with the winner reaching the semis.
The field at the 600,000-dollar tournament comprises the 10 highest-ranking players who have won a WTA International title this year but who did not compete in the season-ending WTA Championships in Qatar. There are also a pair of wildcards in the field.
Asia’s lone representative, 39-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm, finds herself thick in the battle for a last-four place at the year-ender after defeating Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4, 6-3.
The straight-set victory – Date Krumm forced the issue with 15 break points – was absolutely essential for the born-again tennis veteran to stay alive in the round-robin competition.
The Japanese star, who ended her career more than a decade ago only to re-start in 2008, broke six times on the way to victory.
Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai was first into the semi-finals, defeating Hungarian Melinda Czink 6-3, 7-5 defeat in just under 90 minutes.
Rezai goes through with a flawless 2-0 mark, with the number 44 aiming to lift the second title of her career after Strasbourg in May.
But the winner had to struggle in the second set, coming from 1-5 down against a jittery opponent. ‘It was pretty tough, a very difficult set,’ said Rezai.
‘I knew I had nothing to lose so I might as well fight for it. She got nervous because she saw that I was present on the court. I took my chances for the win.’
Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez denied Agnes Szavay with a 4- 6, 6-4, 6-0 win to leave the Hungarian out of the running on 0-2.