Estoril Open 2007 News and Events

Victoria Azarenka
© AFP/Getty Images

Spaniard Nuria Llagostera Vives advanced to the Estoril Open semifinals on Friday, after top-seeded Marion Bartoli of France withdrew with an abdominal strain injury. Llagostera Vives was leading 6-2, 3-1 with 66 minutes played.

Llagostera Vives will contest her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour semifinal since reaching the same stage at the Pattaya Open in February 2006, against Greta Arn on Saturday.

Arn stunned Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson, currently 44 places above the German qualifier in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Rankings, 6-2, 6-2 in 64 minutes for a place in her maiden career semifinal.

The World No. 176 said: �I did not expect to be here in the semifinals.

�I played the only way I know how and it has happened that I am in the semifinals. I appreciate with all the things that I have had happened to me that I just have fun now playing tennis and I am enjoying the game.�

Former Australian and US Open junior champion Victoria Azarenka (pictured) reached her second career Sony Ericsson WTA Tour semifinal with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Gisela Dulko, who captured her maiden singles title in Budapest last week.

Belarusian Azarenka converted seven of 14 break point opportunities as the 17-year-old won 69 per cent of points on return of serve.

Azarenka required 76 minutes to record her 10 th win of the season.

�I tried to play my best tennis and I tried to think about nothing else today,� said Azarenka. �I just took it point by point. I don't feel pressure on clay as it is not my favorite surface but here I am playing well.

She will now hope to go one better than her previous semifinal performance in Tashkent, Uzbekistan - when she lost to Tiantian Sun - against No. 3 seed and 2005 winner Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic.

Safarova knocked out Spaniard Lino Lourdes Dominguez 7-5, 6-3 in one hour and 39 minutes to maintain her record of not dropping a set at this year's tournament.

�It was a pretty tough match today as she was playing high topspin and I just had to wait for a winner,� said Safarova.

�Although it was just two sets it was a two-hour match that made it tough. But after any match you feel better and more confident on court.�

The World No. 30, who reached the Australian Open quarterfinals (l. to Vaidisova) in January before falling in the Paris Indoors final (l. to Petrova), improves to 15-5 this year.