Rising Belgian tennis star Yanina Wickmayer left her anti-doping woes behind her Friday, overcoming Israel's Shahar Peer for a place in the Auckland Classic final.
The WTA event's third seed had to fight hard for nearly an hour-and-a-half for the 6-4, 7-5 win over Peer, who had been dogged all week by a small group of protesters chanting slogans against Israel's policies towards the Palestinians.
In the later semi-final, tournament top seed Flavia Pennetta needed less than an hour to beat fellow Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-0 in a lopsided contest.
Another two anti-Israeli protesters were arrested during the opening semi-final Friday out of a group of about 20 who have been chanting noisily outside the Auckland tennis complex throughout Peer's matches this week.
But the Israeli world number 30 again showed grit to shut out the distraction in a fighting performance against Wickmayer, who is ranked 14 places higher.
The Belgian has had her own problems, following her year-long suspension in November by Belgian anti-doping authorities over her alleged failure to disclose in advance her whereabouts at certain times for drugs testing.
A court last month overturned the suspension and the 20-year-old -- a US Open semi-finalist last year -- has made the most of her return to the Auckland tournament.
"I am very happy," Wickmayer said afterwards. "I didn't play my best tennis today.
"I made a lot of mistakes, especially at the beginning of the second set, but I kept fighting each point and improving, and by the end of the second set, I was playing well."
A rain delay and windy conditions did not help the players settle into a groove but Wickmayer grabbed the initiative after coming back from a 0-3 deficit in the second set.
Pennetta had a few anxious moments in her thrashing of compatriot and good friend Schiavone, whose desperation to find answers to her opponent's consistency only produced a long string of mistakes.
The match lasted less than an hour and the outcome started to become clear after Pennetta broke the fourth seed's serve in the third game of the first set.
Afterwards the world number 12 said she was expecting a very tough final against Wickmayer, who last year won their only previous encounter.
"At the beginning (of the tournament) I didn't feel so good, but now day by day I'm starting to feel much better," the 27-year-old said.
"My game is more consistent, so I have to play like this tomorrow."

Rising Belgian tennis star Yanina Wickmayer left her anti-doping woes behind her Friday, overcoming Israel's Shahar Peer for a place in the Auckland Classic final

Wickmayer to face Pennetta in Auckland tennis final

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Home / Sports / Other Sports / Article / Wickmayer to face Pennetta in Auckland tennis final

Wickmayer to face Pennetta in Auckland tennis final

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Ganeshotsav 2026