TENNIS: Sick Safina misses semi-final

The Russian had reached her first semi-final in almost two years, but was unable to take to the court against Brianti.

FES: Former world number one Dinara Safina was denied the chance to bid for a place in the final of the Grand Prix SAR in Fes because of illness. The Russian had reached her first semi-final in almost two years, but was unable to take to the court against Alberta Brianti. The Italian will now take on seventh-seed Simona Halep in the final after the Romanian saw off Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 7-5,6-4. Flipkens struggled on serve, as Halep broke six times on the way to victory.



Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2011.