Dubai: Former champion Vitalia Diatchenko of Russia beat second seed Alison van Uytvanck to book her spot in the semi-finals of the 17th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge at the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort and Spa on Thursday.
A winner here in 2008 in three sets against Urszula Radwanska, the seventh seeded Russian was effortless as she won 7-5, 6-2 against Van Uytvanck, her second-seeded opponent from Belgium.
Diatchenko will now meet sixth seed Alexandra Dulgheru in the semi-finals after the Romanian battled past third seed An-Sophie Mestach from the Czech Republic 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (2) in more than three hours.
“For me it will be just another match against a player I have never played against before. The plan is just to go out there and play my game,” Diatchenko told Gulf News.
In the upper half of the draw, Nadiia Kichenok booked her place in the last four with a fighting 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3 win over Russia’s Alexandra Panova, who had sent top seed and defending champion Jana Cepelova packing on the opening day.
Kichenok will meet the winner of the quarter-final between Japanese Kimiko Date-Krumm and Romanian Andreea Mitu. The match was scheduled to be played later on Thursday.
A doubles runner-up here with twin sister Lyudmyla, the Ukranian was pleased to make her first singles semi-final appearance in Dubai. “It was very tough playing early in the afternoon. Somehow I did not like the conditions. But I just decided to hang in there and do the right things,” Kichenok told media.
“I hope I can be playing my semi-final later in the afternoon on Friday especially if it is against Date-Krumm as she can be quite a deceptive player to handle,” she added.
Friday will be the singles semi-finals starting at 1.30 pm and entrance to the tennis courts is free.
