Australian Samantha Stosur, last year's French Open finalist, edged past world number three Vera Zvonareva 2-6 6-3 7-6 to reach the Stuttgart Grand Prix semi-finals on Thursday.Stosur, who skipped the Fed Cup playoff against Ukraine at the weekend to focus on her claycourt preparation, saw her work pay off as she fought back from a set down to beat the Russian, who broke a staggering nine strings and briefly played with her coach's racquet.
Stosur will now face 22-year-old Julia Goerges, ranked 32nd, who beat fellow German Sabine Lisicki 6-4 6-4.
"It is the best match I have had all year," Stosur said in a courtside interview. "To come through as close and as tight is just wonderful."
An opening game lasting 14 minutes set the tone for a tight encounter with second-seed Zvonareva breaking her opponent on her ninth opportunity.
The Russian held serve comfortably and got another break when the Australian whipped a crosscourt forehand wide to go 4-1 up before taking the first set 6-2.
Stosur initially looked uncomfortable on Stuttgart's indoor red clay in an error-strewn first set performance.
The 27-year-old battled her way back into the contest, serving with much more kick and hitting a better forehand to lead 5-3 and grab the second set when Zvonareva fired a service return long.
The Russian was not distracted by the number of times she had to switch racquets even when she broke strings on two consecutive points.
The pair traded blows in the third set before Stosur played a near flawless tiebreak to clinch the match on her first match point when Zvonareva's return flew long.
In an all-German hard-hitting battle, Goerges outgunned Lisicki to book her spot in impressive style.
The pair traded bludgeoning blows from the start and Lisicki, ranked 155th and getting back to her best after an injury-plagued 2010, recovered despite being a set and a break down to lead 4-3.
But Goerges fired two forehand winners to snatch another break and go 5-4 up before serving out the match.
Two more Germans are in action later on Thursday with Andrea Petkovic taking on world number one Caroline Wozniacki and ristina Barrois facing Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
Stosur will now face 22-year-old Julia Goerges, ranked 32nd, who beat fellow German Sabine Lisicki 6-4 6-4.
"It is the best match I have had all year," Stosur said in a courtside interview. "To come through as close and as tight is just wonderful."
An opening game lasting 14 minutes set the tone for a tight encounter with second-seed Zvonareva breaking her opponent on her ninth opportunity.
The Russian held serve comfortably and got another break when the Australian whipped a crosscourt forehand wide to go 4-1 up before taking the first set 6-2.
Stosur initially looked uncomfortable on Stuttgart's indoor red clay in an error-strewn first set performance.
The 27-year-old battled her way back into the contest, serving with much more kick and hitting a better forehand to lead 5-3 and grab the second set when Zvonareva fired a service return long.
The Russian was not distracted by the number of times she had to switch racquets even when she broke strings on two consecutive points.
The pair traded blows in the third set before Stosur played a near flawless tiebreak to clinch the match on her first match point when Zvonareva's return flew long.
In an all-German hard-hitting battle, Goerges outgunned Lisicki to book her spot in impressive style.
The pair traded bludgeoning blows from the start and Lisicki, ranked 155th and getting back to her best after an injury-plagued 2010, recovered despite being a set and a break down to lead 4-3.
But Goerges fired two forehand winners to snatch another break and go 5-4 up before serving out the match.
Two more Germans are in action later on Thursday with Andrea Petkovic taking on world number one Caroline Wozniacki and ristina Barrois facing Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.
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