Tennis : Three Processions and a Danish

Runner-up in 2008 to Lindsay Davenport, Aravane Rezai of France is putting together another good run in 2009.

The unseeded right-hander was first to book an ASB Classic semifinal berth when she comprehensively outplayed Edina Gallovits of Romania on centre court Thursday.

It was one-way traffic as Rezai capitalised on every Gallovits error. When the big points rolled around, Rezai took almost every one and posted 6-3 6-2.

No one knew much about the Frenchwoman before last year's event, but with a 7-1 record in Auckland she must regard the venue as her favourite by now.

She will face top seed Elena Dementieva of Russia, who put fifth seed Shahar Peer of Israel to the sword 6-3 6-1. Unfazed by the controversy surrounding her opponent, Dementieva continued her tournament straight sets sequence and, considering that if she hadn't eliminated Peer the annoying protesters might have returned the next day, probably did the event a favour.

Anne Keothavong of Great Britain's charmed run also continued. After straight set wins in rounds one and two, Keothavong only had to play one more set before her opponent called it quits.

Trailing 0-6 and obviously exhausted after five matches, Japan’s Ayumi Morita found one more comeback beyond her strength. Her brilliant form in eliminating fourth seed Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada and Marta Domachowska of Poland, this after three fighting victories in qualifying, had made her something of a darling to the Auckland crowd.

The physical toll was too great though and even Keothavong didn't look like she was enjoying the sight of her opponent's pain.

Keothavong will meet Elena Vesnina of Russia, last to book her semifinal place after a bizarre duel with second seed Caroline Wozniak of Denmark, who knew she'd let herself down in front of the biggest night time crowd in ASB Classic history.

The 6-3 0-6 6-3 scoreline tells quite a story but not the whole one. The first set was mediocre, both women double-faulting into trouble but only Wozniacki failing to hit her way out. Then she served up a 6-0 set, Vesnina a virtual spectator, but after a third set air shot the Dane's jitters returned and the match moved out of reach.