TENNIS in DEPTH.

Samantha Stosur (Australia) was the first player to reach the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Friday. The 26-year-old world No. 10 defeated Na Li from China 6-3, 6-3 in the opening quarterfinal and the win has put her in the last four at the long-established tournament in Stuttgart for the first time. Her victory today has stretched her undefeated run on clay in 2010 to 10 matches.

En route to the semis, Samantha Stosur first beat Marion Bartoli (France) before defeating Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) in the second round.

“Everything’s falling into place at the moment,” said Samantha Stosur after her win. “I feel comfortable on clay now. I’m on a roll. Perhaps it’s all down to my youngest fan – my coach’s six month old baby.”

In the semifinals of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Saturday, Samantha Stosur will face the winner of the match between Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic), who knocked out top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, and the qualifier Anna Lapushchenkova (Russia), who beat Victoria Azarenka.

Shahar Peer will spend her 23rd birthday on Saturday on the tennis court at the Porsche Grand Prix semi-finals after beating Dinara Safina yet again, 6-3, 6-2.

The unseeded Israeli took 1 hour 16 minutes for the quarter-final win on Friday against the second seed Safina. Peer has won the last four matches against the Russian for an overall 4-3 series lead.

Safina was playing only her second match in a return from a three- month layoff due to a lower back injury.

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