Kournikova comeback stuns rival
13 April 2012
Anna Kournikova came from a set and 4-1 down today to beat Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland to reach the semifinals of the ASB Bank Classic in Auckland.
Kournikova overcame searing heat and a lack of tough recent matches to beat Gagliardi 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 and will now face Israel's Anna Smashnova.
"I was playing on will today," Kournikova said. "She was playing great and I was just fighting. That's my game - I fight for every point.
"I was very tired at the end of the match but I'm all right now. I just shouldn't have made it so difficult for myself.
"I made too many unforced errors in the first set and I was fighting, trying to find my game.
"I have not played many hard matches since February last year so I needed this match."
