Fedak to clash with Rodina in Al Habtoor Challenge semis

Dubai: Sixth seed Yuliana Fedak used all her guile to outgun wild card Iroda Tulyaganova 6-4, 6-3 and enter the semifinals of the 9th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge at the Habtoor Grand Resort and Spa yesterday.

The 24-year-old Fedak was precise against an opponent whose game went on crumbling with time, will now face Evgeniya Rodina in today's first semifinals.

Rodina secured a hard-fought 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win against second seeded Alla Kudryatseva in a marathon quarterfinal lasting two hours and 40 minutes.

In the upper half of the draw, top seed and pre-tournament favourite Maria Kirilenko breezed through with her best display in this tournament so far with a clinical 6-2, 6-2 win over the fifth seeded Ekaterina Bychkova.

She will meet Marina Erakovic of New Zealand in the second semifinal to be played later this evening.

Engrossing affair

The first quarterfinal between Fedak and Tulyaganova was an engrossing affair with the smaller built girl from Ukraine using all her guile and court craft to better a better endowed opponent.

"I had to play better as I know she tends to be aggressive from the baseline," Fedak said after winning in 80 minutes on court. Fedak took the first set 6-4, only to stutter a bit in the second as Tulyaganova threatened a comeback on at least two occasions. But Fedak used her smooth shot-making to maximum advantage even as Tulyaganova saw her own game crumbling.

"It was frustrating to see that I lacked the power to give off my best," Tulyaganova said.

"I know I have the game, but what I lacked today was the fitness," she admitted. The Ukrainian, who will leave on Monday for Tashkent to start her preparations for next month's Australian Open, had her chances.

But she seemed to hesitate with her footwork while making the crucial shot.

"Maybe it was the tiredness of playing a tough match the previous night," Tulyaganova explained.

Fedak latched on this weakness instantly and broke her opponent in the third game to go 2-1 clear. But Tulyaganova came right back with a break to draw level 2-2, thanks a double fault from Fedak.

However, Fedak got herself focused, broke her opponent and then never looked behind to win the set and match 6-3.

More confident

"I knew she was tired from the previous night's match. I got a bit more confident when I saw she was not moving too well on court," Fedak smiled.

Today's action will start with the first semifinal between Fedak and Rodina at 4 pm, followed by the second semifinal between Kirilenko and Erakovic.

The singles matches will be followed by the doubles final.

Entrance is free.