Svetlana Kuznetsova stepped closer to claiming her third title in four weeks after thrashing Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-4, 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the Stuttgart Grand Prix on Friday.
While the second seed set up an all-Russian semi-final against fourth seed Nadia Petrova, their compatriot Elena Dementieva added her name to the tournament's lengthy casualty list when she withdrew with a left thigh muscle injury.
Kuznetsova, who recently claimed titles in Bali and Beijing, was always in charge against an opponent who was suffering from fatigue.
Jankovic appeared to be still feeling the effects of getting into bed at 3am after struggling with leg cramps during a late-night win over Tsvetana Pironkova in the previous round.
Eighth seeded Jankovic began well, hitting flat and moving the ball around. But the strain began to tell once Kuznetsova held off a break point in the fourth game and then broke for 4-3 when Jankovic put a forehand wide.
Jankovic fell over several times, drawing sympathetic applause, and nearly ended up in the courtside boxes after running wide for the ball.
But nothing could help her as Kuznetsova played a solid game to dominate the second set.
Petrova used her serve and strong forehand to good effect, beating Slovak Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-4.
Her only nervous moment came when she conceded her serve to fall behind 3-1 in the second set, but she immediately got back on level terms and a further break was enough to give her victory.
Dementieva had been scheduled to play Swiss fifth seed Patty Schnyder but pulled out as she had failed to regain her fitness after cramping badly during Wednesday's match against Katarina Srebotnik.
FEEL WORSE
"I got the injury during the match from the cramping and the day off didn't help me at all. In fact, I feel even worse today," said Dementieva. "I was trying to do everything possible to play but it didn't work."
Top seed Amelie Mauresmo withdrew on Thursday, while Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams all pulled out before the tournament began.
French teenager Tatiana Golovin also reached the last four when she defeated Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-1, 6-2 and will next take on Schnyder.
Making a perfect start, Golovin struck a forehand winner to break for 2-0, held off two break points in the next game and then took a 4-0 lead with a stinging service return winner.
Krajicek, who struggled to match her opponent's aggression or consistency in the rallies, saved another break point to hold the sixth game before Golovin served out the set.
Krajicek briefly threatened in the second set, playing more aggressively and forcing Golovin on the defensive. But a deep ball from Golovin forced a forehand error on break point at 2-2, and a double-fault followed by a wild forehand error gave Golovin a final break for 5-2.
