Medina Bych-slaps Ekaterina at WTA Canberra

"Today was a tough match," Medina Garrigues said. "It was very windy and it was difficult to control shots. I had to concentrate on keeping many balls in court and then taking my chances. It was a good win, because she is a tough player."

Medina Garrigues won her last title last July at Palermo, one of two in 2005.

Also into the semis Wednesday were (6) Catalina Castano (d. Schruff who retired with heat illness), (4) Shahar Peer (d. Nakamura 6-0 in the third), and unseeded Korean Yoon Jeong Cho (d. Czink from a set down).

"When it was the rain delay I talked to my coach and he told me to stop thinking about too many things and just go back out and play my tennis," Peer said of the three-hour break in the match. "This is a huge moment for me. I think it is a bit of breakthrough. There is always steps in tennis and now I am through the quarterfinal step."

Thursday's semifinal match-ups will be Medina Garrigues vs. Peer (first meeting) and Castano vs. Cho (first meeting).