Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated local favourite Martina Hingis [Images] 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Zurich Open.

She will next face unseeded Slovak Daniela Hantuchova [Images], who reached the semi-finals with a walkover after top seed Amelie Mauresmo withdrew on Thursday with a shoulder injury.

The second semi-final will between Maria Sharapova [Images] and unseeded Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik.

Second seed Sharapova had little difficulty against Swiss wild card Timea Bacsinszky, winning 6-4, 6-3, and Srebotnik defeated Russia's [Images] Maria Kirilenko 6-3 6-2.

The battle between third-seeded Russian Kuznetsova and fifth seed Hingis was an absorbing contest that featured high quality tennis from Kuznetsova in the first set, Hingis in the second, and from both players in the third.

Kuznetsova dominated the opening set, consistently hitting the lines and moving the ball around well in the rallies, and she was rewarded with breaks to lead 3-1 and 5-1.

The second set was a complete reversal, with Hingis finding the lines and adding a further threat with a serve that earned her five aces in the set.

Kuznetsova was immediately in trouble, fighting off two break points at 1-0, before Hingis mirrored the first set with breaks for 3-1 and 5-1

With such a domineering second set under her belt, Hingis came onto court for the third with a huge smile on her face. But it did not last long, as a forehand error gave Kuznetsova what proved to be a decisive break for 2-0.

GOOD MATCH

Hingis drew consolation from what she considered had been her best performance for a while.

"I haven't played such a good match in a long time," said the fifth seed. "Of course you always want to win, especially at home.

"I played such a great second set and in the third it's a pity I didn't hold serve in the second game. I had so many opportunities on her serve after that."

Kuznetsova felt her destiny was in her own hands at the start of the third set.

"I felt if I made a good start and did things the right way, as I did in the first set, the match was in my hands," said the Russian.

Sharapova was rarely troubled by Bacsinszky, who nevertheless served well and occasionally caught the Russian unprepared with some well-struck short balls.

"It's an improvement from yesterday, but I wouldn't say it was completely comfortable," Sharapova told reporters. "I had my ups and downs.

"In the second set I was up a break and kind of let her get back into the match a little bit, but I stayed tough. She played pretty well. She served quite big with her second serve, but when I had the opportunity I did well to put the pressure on her."

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