In a powerful display, big-hitting Estonian Kaia Kanepi pushed through some late-match jitters to upset German second seed Andrea Petkovic 6-1 7-6(7) to book a spot in the semifinals.
Another record crowd (Thursday day session attendance of 7082) watched as the unseeded Estonian hit her more fancied rival off the court in the opening set and a half before almost faltering at the final hurdle.
Serving for the match at 5-4, Kanepi failed to convert the first of her match point opportunities as a number of uncharacteristic unforced errors allowed a fighting Petkovic to break and level at 5-5.
With the set heading into a tiebreak, a relieved Kanepi held her nerve, eventually converting her fifth match point to take the set and the win.
“I have played there many times on the big courts. If I have tough times I watch my coach and he will give me some positive signs,” she said when asked about how she handles the pressure moments.
The 26-year-old was spurred on by some vocal support from her player’s box – not quite family or friends, she described them as Estonians who just want to “hang” and catch some tennis.
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“[They’re] just tennis fans, a little friends but not too deep,” she said.
Petkovic, the current world number 10, was left searching for answers following her second loss to Kanepi after a three-set defeat at Dubai last season.
“She played really, really well and I have to say, if she keeps playing like this she’ll be a force,” Petkovic said when asked about her opponent’s performance.
“My footwork was very sloppy, and afterwards I started moving a little better, but when somebody is hitting as hard as Kaia – and she was serving incredible – then you really have to be on point with your footwork and I wasn’t really moving that well today.”
> Read our feature on Kaia Kanepi
However, Petkovic is already looking forward to setting foot in Queensland again.
“I really like coming here [Brisbane]. This is my third year in a row now, and I have relatives here, so I really enjoy myself. I always stay as long as possible.
“Actually the last two years I skipped Sydney and stayed here for another four or five days. So I really enjoy myself here and hopefully I can come back next year.”
Kanepi herself would like to spend a little more time in Brisbane, she will battle Italian warhorse Francesca Schiavone for a spot in the final.
> View the complete draws and order of play
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