Intro:

Nadia Petrova is through to the semi-finals of the Mercury Insurance Open in California following Friday's hard-fought victory over Varvara Lepchenko.

Script:

Home favourite Varvara Lepchenko was looking for her first ever win over Nadia Petrova as the players met in the quarter finals of the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad.

Petrova had won both of their previous encounters - but The Russian was pushed hard by unseeded Lepchenko.

Petrova just held the advantage, serving out the first set 6-4.

But the Uzbek-born Lepchenko fought back strongly, storming her way through the second set to take it 6-2.

Lepchenko was then two points from victory at 5-4 in the tiebreaker, but double faulted before a big Petrova forehand and serve secured victory for the fourth seed.

It was not easy for Petrova - but she made it through to the semi finals where she'll play second seed Dominika Cibulkova.