Kournikova reaches ASB semifinals

Unforced errors almost ended Anna Kournikova's chance at a title. Danny Moloshok/Allsport

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- A tired but determined Anna Kournikova came from a set and 4-1 down Thursday to beat Swiss Emmanuelle Gagliardi and reach the semifinals of the ASB Bank Classic women's tennis tournament.

Kournikova, ranked 74 in the world, overcame searing heat and a lack of tough recent matches to beat 69th-ranked and unseeded Gagliardi 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. She will face Israel's Anna Smashnova in Friday's semifinals.

There were moments, particularly on service, when Kournikova seemed to be favoring her previously injured left foot, though she covered the court with reasonable freedom.

Kournikova saw her world ranking plummet from eight last year when she spent eight months off the professional circuit with a stress fracture.

Kournikova said she was not troubled by the injury during the game but had to dig deep to overcome her spirited Swiss opponent.

"I was playing on will today," Kournikova said. "She was playing great and I was just fighting. That's my game -- I fight for every point.

"I was very tired at the end of the game but I'm all right now. I just shouldn't have made it so difficult for myself.

"I made too many unforced errors in the first set and I was fighting, trying to find my game. I haven't played many hard matches since February last year so I need this match." Kournikova made four times as many unforced errors as her opponent in the first set which Gagliardi won 6-2. She continued to struggle at the start of the second set and quickly found herself 4-1 down.

Visibly rising to the challenge and working the ball to Gagliardi's weaker backhand, Kournikova won five straight games to take the set 6-4.

Kournikova served for the match for the first time at 5-3 in the third set but lost the first three points of her service game and eventually dropped serve on a disputed linecall.

Gagliardi held serve for 5-5 and Kournikova served to lead 6-5, then had two match points on Gagliardi's serve in the 12th game, converting the second for set and match.

Kournikova said she respected Smashnova as a difficult semifinal opponent. The Israeli gained her semifinal place when she beat Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-2.

"She's very tough and I'll have to play my best tennis to beat her," Kournikova said.

Croatian qualifier Silvija Talaya continued her surprising run through the tournament when she ousted Bulgaria's Tatiana Poutchek 6-4 7-5 in another quarterfinal.

Talaya is ranked 109 in the world but has been as high as 18 and has begun to regain her best form.

She trailed by a service break in the second set before recovering to level the set at 5-5. After breaking Poutchek to lead 6-5 she won the first three points of the 12th game to give herself three match points, converting the first.

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