Estoril Open News and Events

Maria Kirilenko

© JLSBea

Second-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko cruised past World No. 50 Tathiana Garbin, the Italian No. 5 seed, with a 6-0, 6-1 win in 65 minutes before rain once against delayed proceedings at the Estoril Open on Friday.

Garbin won just 11 points on serve and served five double faults in the quarterfinal encounter on Court Central.

The 21-year-old Kirilenko last reached a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour semifinal at the Tier IV event in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in early October 2007. On that occasion she lost in the final to World No. 9 Venus Williams.

The World No. 32 has just dropped one set and 18 games in her three matches on the clay courts of the Estadio Nacional. Kirilenko lost a tie-break set to Swiss qualifier Stefanie Vogele in the first round.

Kirilenko will next meet sixth-seeded Czech Klara Zakopalova, who beat World No. 36 and No. 3 seed Karin Knapp of Italy 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 11 minutes on Centralito. Two months ago Zakopalova finished runner-up at Vina del Mar in Chile (l. to Pennetta). 

In the top half of the women’s draw, 2004 finalist Iveta Benesova battled steady rain in the third set to beat eighth-seeded Frenchwoman Camille Pin 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and six minutes.

The Czech converted eight of 12 break point opportunities to take her place in her first tour-level semifinal since Hobart in January 2006. The 25-year-old finished runner-up to Michaella Krajicek at the Tier IV event.

She will meet Estonian Maret Ani in the last four. Ani edged pasy Olga Savchuk of Ukraine 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4.