Kremlin Cup looses top seeds
The Kremlin Cup lost its two top seeds on Friday, but only one of them was beaten on the court.
Number one Amelie Mauresmo, the reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon title-holder from France, was beaten by rising star Nicole Vaidisova, the eighth seed from the Czech Republic, 1-6 7-5 7-6 (7-3).
Second-seeded Maria Sharapova is also out, choosing to withdraw from the indoor event prior to her quarter-final match against fellow Russian Anna Chakvetadze, suffering with a right foot strain.
Chakvetadze, who advanced in a walkover, will face fourth-seeded countrywoman Elena Dementieva in Saturday's semi-finals after she beat No. 6 Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-1).
Vaidisova awaits the resurgent Russian Nadia Petrova. The fifth seed who won last week's event at Stuttgart, Petrova downed compatriot Vera Zvonareva, 7-5 6-1.
Men's top seed and local favourite Nikolay Davydenko reached the semi-finals with a 6-3 7-5 win over Max Mirnyi of Belarus.
Davydenko will play Fabrice Santoro in the penultimate round after the seventh-seeded Frenchman beat German Philipp Kohlschreiber by the same score.
In the bottom half of the draw, Russians Marat Safin and Igor Kunitsyn ensured spectators will have a local interest in Sunday's final, as each won to set up a semi-final clash.
Safin outlasted Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia, 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-4, while Kunitsyn, a wild card, beat Frenchman Arnaud Clement, 6-4, 6-2.
