CARLSBAD, Calif. — Anna Kournikova looks like she might finally break through for her first career WTA title.
Kournikova used late service breaks in each of the last two sets for a 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over France's Nathalie Tauziat on Friday in the quarterfinals of the $535,000 Acura Classic.
Early on, Kournikova looked nothing like the player who ousted No. 2-ranked Lindsay Davenport earlier in the week in three sets. But she rebounded to match Tauziat stroke for stroke in the last two sets.
"I have a good history of losing the first set, then winning the next two," Kournikova said. "I get into the match pretty slow. But once I got into the match, I think I was playing pretty well."
Kournikova, 19, advanced to Saturday's semifinals where she'll play the winner of the Monica Seles-Sandrine Testud match, to be played Friday night.
Kournikova, still searching for her first title, is playing in her 70th career WTA event.
"(Journalists) are the only ones who are making pressure," said Kournikova, responding to whether she feels pressure because she has yet to win a tournament.
"It's always been more important to have a ranking, good results than to win a tournament," she said.
Kournikova said the win was more satisfying because it was against Tauziat. The French player questioned why Kournikova gets so much attention compared to other more successful players on the Tour.
"She has made some strange remarks about me," Kournikova said, "so that even makes it better."
Said Tauziat: "I like Anna. I just said the truth."
With the players on serve in the second set, the first service break opportunity of the set came in the 10th game with Tauziat serving.
After wasting one break chance, Kournikova took the set when Tauziat's backhand volley landed long. The eighth-ranked Tauziat, 32, stood motionless at the net, staring at the baseline, then glaring at the chair umpire.
The third set was a mirror image of the second as Kournikova staved off one break chance to hold her serve for a 6-5 lead.
Kournikova, who has reached five semifinals this year, beat Tauziat for the first time.