Kournikova wins again in bid for first title

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Anna Kournikova advanced Thursday to the semifinals of the ASB Bank Classic, rallying to beat Switzerland&#39;s Emmanuelle Gagliardi 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 in searing heat.<br> <br> Kournikova, the popular Russian seeking her first WTA Tour title, won five straight games to overcome a 4-1 deficit in the second set.<br> <br> &#34;I was playing on will,&#34; Kournikova said. &#34;She was playing great and I was just fighting. That&#39;s my game - I fight for every point. I was very tired at the end, but I&#39;m all right now. I just shouldn&#39;t have made it so difficult for myself.<br> <br> &#34;I made too many unforced errors in the first set and I was fighting, trying to find my game. I haven&#39;t played many hard matches since February last year, so I need this match.&#34;<br> <br> Kournikova, ranked 74th in the world, will face Israel&#39;s Anna Smashnova in the semifinals. Smashnova beat Spain&#39;s Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-2, 6-2.<br> <br> &#34;She&#39;s very tough and I&#39;ll have to play my best tennis to beat her,&#34; Kournikova said of Smashnova.<br> <br> Croatia&#39;s Silvija Talaja also advanced to the semifinals, beating Bulgaria&#39;s Tatiana Poutchek 6-4, 7-5. <br> <br>

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