Wozniacki, Bartoli set up last four clash

SUPPORT: World No 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark wears Liverpool’s English midfielder Steven Gerrard t-shirt as she warms up before her quarterfinal WTA Qatar Ladies Open tennis match against Flavia Pennetta of Italy in Doha

What can do you do when Caroline Wozniacki is on song? Nothing much.
That was pretty much the feeling Flavia Pennetta must have gone through yesterday as the Danish world number one breezed past her and into the semi-finals of the Qatar Ladies Open where she will clash with Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli
The emphatic 6-2, 6-0 victory put Wozniacki on course for a second crown in the Gulf inside seven days after she had beaten Svetlana Kuznetsova in the final of the Dubai Open last Sunday to win her 13th career title.
Wozniacki’s power and guile proved too much for the veteran Pennetta who made a brave start by securing a break in the very first game of the match. But if the Italian thought that would upset her rival’s focus, she was mistaken.
And sure enough it didn’t take much for Wozniacki to have the match in her grasp once she broke back in the fourth game, the longest of the encounter that lasted more than 12 minutes. After that it was the Dane all the way. Wozniacki now holds a 100 per cent record over Pennetta, triumphing in all their six matches beginning at Bastad in 2009.
“I am very happy to make the semi-finals,” said Wozniacki, adding that the fourth game was the turning point of the match.
“I had to go for my shots in that game. That was the key,” said Wozniacki who promptly put on a Liverpool jersey signed by Steven Gerrard after the match to show her support for the club. She had earlier warmed up wearing the same shirt I am a big Liverpool fan. I got this shirt today from the Qatar Tennis Federation. Liverpool are playing today (against Sparta in the Europa League) so I thought I should wear it and show my support,” said Wozniacki who  made just seven unforced errors and whose only point of concern perhaps was that she didn’t win even a single point on her eight second serves.
Earlier, Bartoli completed a swift demolition job of China’s Peng Shuai to storm into the last four. The world number 18, who is unseeded in Qatar, hardly gave Peng a chance to settle down in another hopelessly one-sided match to win 6-2, 6-2 and stay on course for a possible sixth title on the WTA Tour.
Bartoli, who had sent eighth seed Shahar Peer packing in the second round on Tuesday earning praise from the Israeli, was again ruthless yesterday, her trademark double-handed shots on either side often leaving her Chinese rival stranded on several occasions. She hit four aces and 22 winners, committing just nine unforced errors compared to Peng’s 18.
“I am pleased with my level of play,” said the Frenchwoman. “I am moving much better on the court compared to the previous years and I hope to continue playing like this.
“I could have finished the game earlier. I mean, it could have been 6-1 in the second set, even 6-0, but I think overall it was a great performance, definitely. Bartoli laughed off Peer’s praise after the Israeli had said that she could soon be the world number one if she continued playing like that. “She is my best friend, so I’m definitely not going to tell you she is crazy. But yes it was nice for her to say that,” added Bartoli who had won the clash 6-1, 6-0.
“You know tennis is a fickle sport. So I am glad I have been able to play two matches in a row very well.”
Bartoli also had words for her father and coach Dr Walter Bartoli. I am thankful to my dad for his training and guidance,” said the 2007 Wimbledon finalist.
RESULTS
Q/F: 1-Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)   beat  Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 6-2 6-0
Marion Bartoli (France)    beat  Peng Shuai (China)   6-2 6-2
Vera Zvonareva (RUS x2)    beat  Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5.