PALERMO, Italy (AP) — Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania reached her second straight WTA semifinals as a qualifier at the Palermo Ladies Open on Friday.
Ruse came out of qualifying two weeks ago at the Hamburg European Open and won her maiden WTA title. She cracked the top 150 for the first time.
She's a qualifier again in Palermo, and made the last four after beating Lucia Bronzetti of Italy 6-4, 7-5. She faces sixth-seeded Oceane Dodin of France on Saturday.
Dodin double-faulted 16 times and still overcame Jaqueline Cristian of Romania 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4.
Fourth-seeded Zhang Shuai was on the verge of her second final of the year after Nottingham in June after edging Olga Danilovic of Serbia 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), saving nine break points.