Martić and Kontaveit reach Palermo Open semifinals

Ferro eliminated two-time Palermo champion Sara Errani 6-4, 6-1; and Giorgi saved two match points in the second set before rallying past seventh-seeded Dayana Yastremska 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 after nearly three hours.

Top-seeded Petra Martić and fourth-seeded Anett Kontaveit advanced to the semifinals of the first tour-level event in five months at the Palermo Ladies Open on Friday.

Craotia's Petra Martic returns the ball to Russia's Ludmilla Samsonova, during Palermo Ladies Open tennis tournament. (AP)

Martić beat qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) then Kontaveit defeated Italian teenager Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.

The other semifinal will feature Fiona Ferro of France against local favorite Camila Giorgi of Italy.

Ferro eliminated two-time Palermo champion Sara Errani 6-4, 6-1; and Giorgi saved two match points in the second set before rallying past seventh-seeded Dayana Yastremska 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 after nearly three hours.

Martić was coming off a three-set win a day earlier.

“I had two tough matches and my body’s holding up well,” Martić said. “I have no major issues … just maybe soreness that I’m sure we all have in the first tournament back.

“It feels nice to be reminded of how it feels to be that kind of tired. But all in all I’m happy. I had some good weeks of practice and it’s paying off.”

“I was doing fitness for a long time,” Kontaveit said of the break due to the coronavirus pandemic. “I started playing a lot of tennis 1 ½ months ago.”