DOHA, Qatar, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Top-seeded Monica Seles of the United
States and fourth-seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand each
advanced to the semifinals of the $170,000 Qatar Open hardcourt
tennis event Friday.
Seles, who last week made it to the semifinals of an indoor
event at Paris, breezed to 6-1, 6-0 triumph over Australian
eighth seed Nicole Pratt.
The 28-year-old Seles, who is seeking her 52nd career title,
improved to 4-0 lifetime against Pratt with all the wins coming
in straight sets. Seles was a semifinalist at the Australian
Open last month and runner-up at the Pan Pacific Open two weeks
ago. She faces another Australian, Alicia Molik, in the
semifinals.
Tanasugarn, coming off consecutive straight-sets wins, defeated
Slovakian Maja Matevzic, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 on Friday. The
24-year-old Tanasugarn, who is seeking her first career title,
has four four finals inluding this year in Canberra. She will
meet Slovakia's Janette Husarova in the semifinals.
Molik, ranked No. 54 in the world, got past Italy's Tathiana
Garbin, 6-7 (7-3), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3). The 21-year-old Molik has
won two of three career meetings with Garbin, with each going
three sets. Molik is seeking her second career title. She won
at Budapest in 2000.
Husarova, who upset second-seeded Frenchwoman Sandrine Testud in
the second round, recorded a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) victory over Russian
Anastasia Myskina. The 27-year-old Husarova, who had her
best-ever Grand Slam performance when she reached the fourth
round at the Australian Open, is seeking her first career title.
