Top-seeded Petrova reaches Ponte Vedra semi-finals

Ponte Vedra Beach:

Top-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova booked her semi-final berth at the WTA claycourt tournament here with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) victory over seventh-seeded Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko.

Petrova overcame 71 unforced errors with the help of seven aces. The Russian is coming off a "stress reaction" injury to her right foot - which can be a precursor to a stress fracture - and played yesterday with both feet taped.

Today she'll face fifth-seeded Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak, a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) winner over Austrian Tamira Paszek.

"I will gain confidence from this, and that is what I have been lacking," Petrova said.

Russian Elena Vesnina upended third-seeded Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3.

Vesnina needed four match points to subdue Cibulkova, surrendering two of them with unforced errors.

"From my side, it was not good," Cibulkova said. "I didn't feel good on the court, and I don't know why. I was fighting and fighting, and when she went up 3-2 (in the third set), I got panicked and played stupid again."

Vesnina will face second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who defeated Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-2.