Kournikova inches towards first WTA title

Anna Kournikova swatted aside Slovakia's Janette Husarova 6-3, 6-4 in sweltering conditions on Thursday to reach the semifinals of the Mexican Open.

The ice-cool Russian took just 77 minutes to book her third semifinal berth of the year as she looks for her maiden WTA Tour singles title.

"That was the toughest match so far especially because of the heat, but I would have been prepared to play for three sets," Kournikova said afterwards.

In her seventh year playing on the tour, Kournikova has one of the most publicised barren streaks in sport.

An accomplished doubles player with two grand slam titles under her belt, she has repeatedly come up short on the singles court.

She reached the semifinals of Wimbledon the first year she entered -- in 1997 -- but has not done as well at any of the majors since.

Already this year she has reached the semifinals in Auckland, where she lost to Israeli Anna Smashnova, and in Tokyo, where she lost to Monica Seles.

The 20-year-old can go one better when she faces Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik in the last four.

The pair have never met in singles but have been across the net from each other in doubles and Kournikova knows what to expect.

"She has a really good serve, hits it really hard," Kournikova said. "I will have to watch out for that."