BALI, Indonesia, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Second-seeded Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain and her countrywoman, No. 8 Conchita Martinez, moved into the semifinals Friday at the Wismilak International.
Sanchez-Vicario, who entered this Tier III hardcourt tournament having lost six of her last eight matches, recorded a 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 victory over Japan's Saori Obata. Sanchez-Vicario will face Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova in Saturday's semifinals.
Martinez, seeking her 33rd career title and first since 2000, breezed past Paraguay's Rossana Neffa-de los Rios, 6-1, 6-3. Neffa-de los Rios upended top seed and local favorite Tamarine Tanasugarn in the second round and was trying to reach the semifinals for the first time this year.
American Sarah Taylor, in the quarterfinals for the first time in her career, ousted Spain's Marta Marrero, 6-3, 7-5. Taylor will face Martinez next.
Kuznetsova held a 6-3 lead in her quarterfinal match, when countrywoman Lina Krasnoroutskaya retired due to a left knee sprain.
