The only former women's champion remaining in the 2007 Pacific Life Open draw just barely averted a quarterfinal exit Wednesday. In a seesaw battle that lasted two hours and 43 minutes, Daniela Hantuchova finally outlasted Shahar Peer in the third-set tie-break, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6(5).
The 14th-seeded Hantuchova, who earned her place in the quarterfinals with a straight-sets win over former No. 1 Martina Hingis on Tuesday, appeared on her way to another decisive victory after racing through a 34-minute first set.
But her game unraveled in the next two sets, as the Slovak committed a total of 51 unforced errors to allow No. 10 seed Peer back into the match.
Neither player, however, managed to hold onto the lead in the third set. Peer took the early lead in the third set before Hantuchova earned herself the opportunity to serve for the victory at 5-4. The Israeli fought back, pushing the set to the tie-break where Hantuchova prevailed.
"I guess the more time I spend on the court, the better for me," said Hantuchova. "I always feel like I've got the physical advantage with the players that I can last a little longer, maybe, than they can, and that gives me a lot of confidence."
In the day's first semifinal, China's Li Na staged a successful comeback against Russian Vera Zvonareva, rallying from a 1-5 deficit in the second set to close out the 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 24 minutes.
Zvonareva had stunned defending champion Maria Sharapova on Tuesday, a loss that will see the Russian lose her No. 1 ranking to Justine Henin.
Na, the No. 12 seed, will be making her first appearance in the Pacific Life Open semifinals. Last year, the 25-year-old reached the fourth round in her Pacific Life Open debut, falling to Elena Dementieva
The winner of the Hantuchova-Na semifinal will enter the Top 15 with the release of the new rankings Monday. It would mark a new career milestone for Na, who achieved her country's best-ever ranking of No. 16 after reaching the Sydney semifinal earlier this year.
Both semifinalist are looking to win their second career singles title. Hantuchova claimed her sole title at the 2002 Pacific Life Open, while Na became the first Chinese player to capture a WTA Tour title when she won at Guangzhou in 2004 as a qualifier.
Hantuchova said: "It's gonna be a great match. She's a great player, great fighter, so it's going to be again, very, very difficult match. But I'm looking forward to it and I'm gonna give it my best." (Indian Wells)
