Ivanovic Meets Zvonareva in Luxembourg

Three of the remaining Top five seeds are competing in this week’s Fortis Championships semifinals in Luxembourg.

Hoping the third time is a charm, Daniela Hantuchova continues her impressive end of season run, reaching her third semifinal in as many weeks, while vying for her second title of the year (first one came at Indian Wells in March). She will face France’s Marion Bartoli who is coming of a big win over top seed Anna Chakvetadze in the quarterfinals.

The Slovak and the Frenchwoman, who have only met once in the last four years, are neck and neck in the S ony Ericsson WTA Tour standings, at No.10 and No.11 respectively. The only way Bartoli could surpass Hantuchova on Monday’s rankings would be to win the Fortis Championships title.

By virtue of reaching the semifinal, Ana Ivanovic of Serbia has qualified for the season ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Madrid. She will join Henin, Jankovic, Kuznetsova, and four additional players to be announced, at the prestigious $3 million event in November.

Unseeded Russian Vera Zvonareva, continuing her impressive run this week following three and a half months off with a left wrist injury, is looking for her second win over a top 2 seed this season (d. No.1 seed Sharapova in 4r at Indian Wells) as she takes on No.2 seed Ivanovic.

Following her three wins this week, Zvonareva is projected to climb into the Top 25, at No. 24, and could go even further to No.23 by reaching the final and No.22 with a title win. (WTA)