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Updated Sunday, February 19, 2012 0:02 am TWN, By Michael Casey, AP

Sam Stosur, Victoria Azarenka progress into Qatar Open semis

Australia's Sam Stosur celebrates after winning against Romania's Monica Niculescu during their WTA Qatar Open quarterfinal tennis match in Doha on Friday, Feb. 17. Stosur won 6-2, ...

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Sam Stosur, Victoria Azarenka progress into Qatar Open semis

DOHA, Qatar--U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur reached her first semifinal of the year by overcoming the unorthodox Monica Niculescu 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 at the Qatar Open on Friday.

In another quarterfinal, top-ranked Victoria Azarenka swept aside Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-0, 6-4 for her 15th straight win.

After crashing out of her home Australian Open in the first round, Stosur has won three straight matches in Doha.

“It's a really good feeling,” she said. “I guess it's still only February, so to bounce back relatively quickly is always pleasing. Yeah, it's definitely nice to be on the winning side than not.”

Stosur jumped out to 5-0 en route to winning the first set. But Niculescu turned the tables in the second, breaking Stosur twice to go up 4-1 to even the match. Niculescu uses lots of spin and plays with a two-handed backhand and forehand. She also was more aggressive, winning many of her points at the net and serving better.

Stosur regained the momentum in the third, leading 3-0 only to see Niculescu take advantage of errors to level 3-3. But with Stosur serving at love-30 in the seventh game, Niculescu failed to take advantage. She missed an easy volley to let Stosur back in the game and then Stosur hit a great forehand in the corner to go up 4-3. She ran off the final two games.

“For sure, I got off to a really good start and wasn't, you know, under too much pressure at all,” Stosur said. “Then early in that second set, I feel like I missed some of those opportunities.

“I think it's one of those matches where, when you are in control, you have to keep going and keep going and keep going.”

Azarenka said she played a “perfect set” to go up 6-0 but the second set was much more competitive. The two players traded breaks throughout until 4-4. But then Belarusian ran off the last two games, winning a love service game to close out the match.

“Second set I had opportunities in every single game. I just couldn't really convert them,” Azarenka said. “But, you know, it's important the way I finished the second set. It was the same way I started the match.”

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