Mauresmo ousted by Schiavone in Warsaw

WARSAW (Reuters) - French world No. 3 and top-seed Amelie Mauresmo was ousted in the quarterfinals of the $585,000 Warsaw Cup on Friday, losing to fast-improving Francesca Schiavone 3-6, 7-6, 6-1.

The young Italian now faces Russian world No. 14 Svetlana Kuznetsova in the first semifinal on Saturday.

The other semi pitches second-seed Venus Williams against another Russian -- third-seeded world No. 11 Vera Zvonareva -- after both won in straight sets later on Friday.

Mauresmo lost a tiebreaker (7-2) for the second set, before succumbing to an impressive display of serving from Schiavone.

Schiavone told a news conference: "Today taught me that every top player is just a player. For me every ball was a match ball. Mauresmo is on a good level, but today I was the best."

Mauresmo said: "I felt sure I would win after the first set but by the third set it was her dictating the conditions.

"I know that I have to train harder to get back to my best. In the end one lost game is not a big deal."

World No. 13, Williams withdrew injured from last year's final against Mauresmo but looked in good form on Friday, demolishing Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva 6-1, 6-0.

Zvonareva won her quarterfinal against Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi 6-3, 7-5. Zvonareva's Russian compatriot Kuznetsova beat Italy's Silvia Farina Elia 6-1, 6-4.

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