MOSCOW, October 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Alisa Kleybanova knocked defending champion Jelena Jankovic out of the Kremlin Cup on Friday to progress to the semifinals.
Serbian Jankovic, seeded number 2, twice double-faulted in the second set to hand victory to the 20-year-old Russian.
"It was a difficult match for me, I tried my best but she played better," world number nine Jankovic said a post-match news conference.
"Of course, I'm very happy, but I've already beaten her once and I wanted to prove that that win was no fluke," Kleybanova said.
Kleybanova will now face either Olga Govortsova of Belarus or compatriot Vera Dushevina in the last four.
In other results on Friday, Francesca Schiavone of Italy (8) beat Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-2
Schiavone, the 2005 losing finalist, will play Ukrainian Alyona Bondarenko, who overcame Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova 6-3, 6-3, in the next round.
