Frenchwoman Rezai first to reach Bali semis

By Barry Wood

BALI (Reuters) - Aravane Rezai of France qualified for the semi-finals of the Tournament of Champions on Thursday when she defeated Hungary's Melinda Czink 6-3 7-5 in the second of her round-robin matches.

That victory added to her Wednesday win against Sabine Lisicki and left her top of Group D.

Shahar Peer overcame Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1 7-6, and the Israeli will play Marion Bartoli on Friday to determine who will win Group A. Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez will play Samantha Stosur to decide the winner of Group B after beating Agnes Szavay of Hungary 4-6 6-4 6-0.

The outcome of Group C remained in the balance after Japanese 39-year-old Kimiko Date Krumm defeated Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain 6-4 6-3.

Date Krumm is now 1-1 after her two matches, with Belgium's Yanina Wickmayer to play Medina Garrigues on Friday. If the Spaniard wins to leave all three players with a 1-1 record, the winner will be decided by sets won.

Peer seemed to be coasting to victory over Rybarikova, leading 6-1 4-1. But the Slovak broke Peer to love in the next game to begin a comeback that netted four straight games and left her leading 5-4. Peer held on to take the set to a tiebreak, which she won 7-4.

"At 4-1 she played a little bit better," Peer told reporters. "She started to change her game, she came more to the net and I was a little bit defensive. She had to change something because I was cruising the whole match, but I'm happy I could find a way to win this match in two sets."

Rezai suffered a similar crisis against Czink, taking the first set 6-3 but then slipping behind 5-1 in the second. Czink held a set point in the next game but the Hungarian left-hander made a forehand error and Rezai held serve to win the first of six consecutive games.