Baku, Azerbaijan (Sports Network) - Russian Alexandra Panova and Bojana
Jovanovski were among the quarterfinal winners Thursday at the Baku Cup
tennis tournament.
The second-seeded Panova, like all of Thursday's winners, rallied from a set
down to advance. She claimed a 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory over sixth-seeded
countrywoman Nina Bratchikova.
Panova will next meet Jovanovski after the fifth seed fended off fellow
Serbian Aleksandra Krunic 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3. Krunic, who qualified for the
main draw, had beaten fourth-seeded Czech Andrea Hlavackova in the first
round.
Russian Olga Puchkova and American Julia Cohen will meet in Friday's other
semifinal.
The 174th-ranked Puchkova dropped the first set against Manny Minella before
battling back to knock out the third seed from Luxembourg with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2
victory.
Cohen, meanwhile, advanced with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Slovakia's Magdalena
Rybarikova, a two-time WTA singles titlist.
The winner of this WTA International event will claim a first prize of
$37,000.
The Sports Network