Wozniak won't win Cincinnati

Aleksandra Wozniak's hopes for a second career title were dashed on Friday (US time) as the Canadian No.1 lost 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 to Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy in the quarter-finals of the Western & Southern Financial Group Open in Cincinnati.

Sixth seed Wozniak became the first Canadian player in 20 years to claim a WTA title when she captured her maiden championship in Stanford last month but she was eliminated in just under two hours, with Dechy saving three of four break points in the second set.

The 29-year-old Dechy, who claimed her lone title in 2003 at Gold Coast, moves on to the semi-finals to face former world number one Amelie Mauresmo, who easily dispatched American Vania King 6-2 6-4.

The fifth seed at this Tier III event, Mauresmo is trying to rebound from an injury-plagued 2007 season and win her first title in 18 months.

With the triumph over King, the 29-year-old Frenchwoman reached her first semi-final this year.

The other semi-final will feature a pair of Russians.

Second seed Nadia Petrova defeated American Lilia Osterloh 6-2 6-3, while third seed Maria Kirilenko beat 18-year-old German Sabine Lisicki 6-2 1-6 6-1.

In posting her seventh straight win over the 201st-ranked Osterloh, Petrova won 76 percent of her first-serve points.

Kirilenko denied Lisicki her first career semi-final appearance, capturing six of nine break points despite firing just one ace.

Western & Southern Financial Group Open, quarter-finals, Cincinnati
2 - Nadia Petrova (Russia) bt. Lilia Osterloh (USA) 6-2 6-3
3 - Maria Kirilenko (Russia) bt. Sabine Lisicki (Germany) 6-2 1-6 6-1
5 - Amelie Mauresmo (France) bt. Vania King (USA) 6-2 6-4
Nathalie Dechy (France) bt. 6 - Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) 7-6 (7-4) 7-5