Top seed and world number two Amelie Mauresmo outplayed Roberta Vinci of Italy [Images] 6-4, 6-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Qatar Open on Thursday.

The Frenchwoman, riding high after winning three titles including the Australian Open this year, next plays Swiss Martina Hingis [Images] after the former world number one outgunned sixth-seed Svetlana Kuznetsova [Images] 7-6, 6-2.

Mauresmo will claim the top ranking from Belgium's Kim Clijsters [Images] if she wins the final on Saturday.

Hingis, who began her comeback at the start of the year after a three-year break following a foot injury, traded baseline rallies with Kuznetsova.

At 4-4 the Russian received medical attention for a leg injury and appeared to be limping at times in a first set claimed by Hingis in a tight tiebreak.

Three service breaks broke Kuznetsova's resistance in the second set.

"As I said yesterday, I am playing well," Hingis said.

"It was not an easy match. She (Kuznetsova) fought well in the first set, but I always had the game under control."

Second seed Nadia Petrova quelled a spirited challenge from Na Li of China to post a 6-4 6-4 victory.

Petrova will meet Ai Sugiyama in Friday's first semi-final after the Japanese veteran defeated Julia Schruff of Germany [Images] 6-3, 6-2.

Sugiyama, who had upset two times Qatar Open champion and former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina [Images] on Wednesday, was never troubled in her 66-minute win over Schruff.

"I was a bit drained after my long match against Myskina on Wednesday. But I think I did well to recover as was evident today against Schruff," she said.

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