Mauresmo ousts top-seeded Ivanovic in Brisbane

Jan 8, 2009 - 2:34 PM BRISBANE, Australia (Ticker) -- Coming off the longest match of her career, Amelie Mauresmo had plenty left in the tank to score an upset.

The fifth-seeded Frenchwoman moved into the semifinals at the Brisbane International by forging a 6-3, 6-2 victory against top-seeded Ana Ivanovic on Thursday.

Then 29-year-old Mauresmo needed 3 hours, 15 minutes to outlast compatriot Julie Coin in the second round on Wednesday, finally claiming a 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (13-11) triumph to book a spot the round of eight.

The world No. 23 showed no ill effects from the marathon match against Ivanovic, needing only 68 minutes to oust the fifth-ranked Serb.

"It feels great," said Mauresmo, a former No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion. "I'm very proud of the way I played today from the first one to the last."

The victory set up a meeting with yet another countrywoman, as third-seeded Marion Bartoli punched her ticket to the semifinals with a 6-3, 6-3 victory against Italian Tathiana Garbin.

Ivanovic, who finished runner-up to Maria Sharapova at the Australian Open last year, did not seem overly concerned with her form heading into the year's first major.

"I was pretty happy with my first two matches (here)," Ivanovic said. "After (Wednesday's) match I didn't have much time to recover. ... And I didn't have the energy to dig deep again. But in Melbourne I'm going to be practicing and playing lots of sparring. I just have to get more consistent and work more on my serve."

Belarus' Victoria Azarenka, the No. 2 seed, also moved into the final four with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 win over Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic.

Seeking her first career title, Azarenka next faces Sara Errani of Italy, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Olga Govortsova of Belarus.

First prize is $37,000.