AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Second-seeded Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia battled for three hours and 10 minutes Thursday to beat Israeli qualifier Tzipora Obziler 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 and to reach the semifinals of the ASB Women's Classic.
Top-seeded Nadia Petrova was due to meet Kristina Brandi of Puerto Rico in another quarterfinal Thursday but the match was delayed by rain.
Hantuchova made 70 unforced errors in a performance which was sometimes brilliant but often impetuous and full of distractions, sneaking past an opponent who was also unable to close out vital games.
Obziler, 31, who beat defending champion Katarina Srebotnik in the second round, was playing her sixth match at the tournament after winning three times in qualifying before entering the main draw.
She was poised to reach the first semifinal of her eight-year professional career, before Hantuchova reeled off a series of winners to reclaim the match and claim a final four berth opposite Russian Vera Zvonareva.
"It was a pain," Hantuchova said. "It wasn't just a case of playing my opponent today but myself as well.
"I was really amazed at the way she played and she never gave up fighting right to the end of the match. I'm just happy to get through but I have to give all the credit to my opponent."
In contrast to Hantuchova, who played one of the longest stadium court matches in the history of the Auckland tournament, eighth-seed Zvonareva swept fourth-seeded Russian compatriot Maria Kirilenko out of the tournament 6-2, 6-0 in 59 minutes.
Injuries caused Zvonareva to end 2005 ranked 42 in the world, well off her career high of nine in 2004. She showed the potential to return to the top 10 Thursday, overwhelming 27th-ranked Kirilenko with a display of accuracy and power.
"It was my third match of the year and I was really happy with the way I looked on the court," Zvonareva said.
Sixth-seeded Marion Bartoli of France beat Julia Schruff of Germany 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semifinals in Auckland for the third straight year.
"I started faster today which was good," said Bartoli, whose first two matches went to three sets.
"I returned well but my serve was good, which was the key. I think I'm getting used to the conditions and I served really well."
