Jelena Dokic surprised the fourth seed, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, 3-6, 7-6, 6-2, to reach the semifinals of the Hamburg Cup.
Although the 18-year-old Yugoslav defeated Sanchez-Vicario in their first meeting at the Hopman Cup, it was her first win over the three-times former Hamburg champion in a WTA event.
In the early stages it looked as if the match would follow the pattern of the previous three, with Dokic struggling to find her rhythm.
"It was very cold, and I think I was a little bit tight as well. I went into the match a little nervous," Dokic said. "I just couldn't get any rhythm and that's where I lost the set."
Her fifth double-fault, in fact, was to blame for the loss of that set, but Dokic swiftly dragged herself back into the match.
In the second set she was more aggressive, hit the ball more cleanly and broke the 29-year- old Spaniard twice to lead 3-0.
Sanchez-Vicario rallied to force a tie-break, but Dokic took the set and broke to lead 3-1 in the final set by stretching her opponent wide to force an error. Another service break gave Dokic victory, sealed on her second match point, in 2hr 8min.
"I made a lot more shots and although she got back I think it was a different story in the second set," Dokic said.
"Just fighting out there got me through it."
- INDEPENDENT
Tennis: Dokic progresses to Hamburg semifinals
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