Rezai first player through to semi-finals 

Published: 12:43PM Thursday January 08, 2009

By Michael Burgess at the ASB Tennis Centre

Source: ONE Sport

Rezai first player through to semi-finals (Source: Photosport)

Source: PhotosportFrance's Aravane Rezai

Unseeded Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai become the first player into the ASB Classic semi-finals on Thursday, accounting for Romanian Edina Gallovits in an entertaining match on centre court.

2008 ASB Classic finalist Rezai won the quarter-final 6-3 6-2 in just under 90 minutes in hot conditions in Auckland.

It was a fairly even contest, to be expected in a match pitting the world number 77 (Rezai) against the world number 78 (Gallovits).

The 25-year-old Gallovits was let down badly by her serve, with a first serve percentage of just 41 percent and nine double faults.

Rezai has a unique style, both in terms of her on-court outfits which she designs herself (claiming all of the major labels are "boring") and her gunslinger approach to tennis.

It is a stand and deliver system which keeps the rallies short as she goes for her shots.

On a good day it can be spectacular, but well things go awry (as in the 2009 ASB Classic final vs Lindsay Davenport) it can all turn to custard.

Gallovits showed an early willingness to go for her shots, and managed eight clean winners (Rezai, seven ) in the first set.

But she undid all the good work somewhat with 13 unforced errors, as the Romanian failed to play the percentages.

The 21-year-old Rezai forced twelve break point opportunities, converting four, which proved the difference in the opening set as Rezai wrapped it up 6-3 in exactly 40 minutes.

The second set followed a similar pattern, with the Romanian fighting hard in rallies but undoing all the good work at the service line.

A double fault when facing match point really summed up the match for Gallovits.

Rezai will face either top seeded Russian Elena Dementieva or fifth seeded Israeli Shahar Peer in the semi finals on Friday.


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