Kirilenko cruises in Guangzhou

Guangzhou - Top-seeded Maria Kirilenko eased into the semi-finals of the Guangzhou Open on Thursday by beating Tetiana Luzhanska of the Ukraine 6-1, 7-5.

The Russian will play South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers, who knocked out Urszula Radwanska of Poland, 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, in a match that lasted just over three hours.

The other semi-final will be between Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia, who beat defending champion Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia, 6-4, 6-3, and the last Chinese player in the tournament, Zheng Jie, who beat Petra Martic of Croatia 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Zheng, ranked 15th in 2009, has slipped to 83rd after missing the first two months of the year with a wrist injury.