Petrova Reaches Semifinals, Punches Ticket to Doha

Nadia Petrova clinched the second alternate berth for the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2008 on Friday, with a quarterfinal win halfway across the world in Québec City.
 
If Petrova - the No.1 seed at the Tier III event - lost her quarterfinal with Melinda Czink, then Flavia Pennetta would have joined Agnieszka Radwanska in the alternate line-up at the prestigious season-ender, which will be held next week in Doha, Qatar. But she beat the unseeded Hungarian, 61 64, thus overtaking Pennetta in the Race to the Sony Ericsson Championships.
 
"It's great to be in the semifinals," Petrova said. "I was trying not to think about Doha. I was just trying to concentrate on the match. I had to give it my best, especially in the second set, so that she wouldn't come back in the match. It's great to be finishing the season like this, and I'm thrilled to go to Doha."
 
Standing in between Petrova and a berth in the final will be Angela Haynes, who was a lucky loser into the main draw. Haynes' second round victory on Thursday propelled her into her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour quarterfinal, and on Friday she beat Nathalie Dechy, 26 76(2) 63, to improve on the best ever performance.
 
"I've had a good week... I don't want to go home!" Haynes said. "The court is beginning to like me. I'm just glad to be here and continue to play well. I have a very tough match tomorrow - Petrova's very tough, and I have never played her before - but I'll just go out there and have fun. I always try to have fun out there. I won't stress out, I always try to stay relaxed. That's when I play my best."
 
Duking it out in the other semifinal will be No.5 seed Aleksandra Wozniak and No.6 seed Bethanie Mattek, who both won their quarterfinals in straight sets. Wozniak beat Galina Voskoboeva, 62 62; Mattek saved a set point down 7-6 in the first set tie-break en route to beating Melanie Oudin, 76(7) 61.
 
Wozniak and Mattek will play at 1pm local time on Saturday, followed by Petrova against Haynes and then the doubles match pitting Jill Craybas and Tamarine Tanasugarn against Marie-Ève Pelletier and Chanelle Scheepers.