Less than 24 hours after posting one of the biggest upsets of the 2005 WTA Tour season, Peng Shuai's amazing run came to a halt in the semi-finals of the Accura Classic on Saturday.
China's Peng, who stunned former World No 1 Kim Clijsters 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals, was dominated by France's Mary Pierce 6-2, 6-2 in the 1.3 million dollar hardcourt event.
"She's definitely playing well and she's a dangerous player if you let her play," Pierce said of Peng. "So, the key for me today was hitting the ball hard and deep, being aggressive and trying to come forward."
The loss of Peng doesn't mean there won't be an Asian in Sunday's final. Pierce will look to earn her first title in nine San Diego appearances when she opposes Ai Sugiyama.
Sugiyama was leading Akiko Morigami, 6-4, 4-3 when Morigami was forced to retire with a sore right knee in the first Tier 1 semi-final that featured a pair of Japanese players.
The 19-year-old Peng beat Clijsters in Friday's evening match, ending the Belgians' 26-match win streak on the United States hardcourts. After disposing of Clijsters on Friday night, Peng went out to play a three-set doubles match that might have taken its toll.
As a result of playing 45 games in three hours, Peng came out flat Saturday as Pierce utilised her searing ground strokes to control the points throughout the sweep.
"I was really tired from last night after playing singles and doubles in about four hours," she admitted. "Today, I was playing the first match and I was so tired, the energy doesn't come."
Pierce is eager for the finals matchup and a chance to earn her 17th career title but first US outdoor hardcourt crown in her 16-year career. "It's nice to know there are still some firsts in my career... it keeps it fresh," said Pierce, a runner-up here to Lindsay Davenport in 1998.
"It would be great to win the tournament. I've got one more match and I'm going to try to do everything I can to win it."
The 30-year-old Pierce has had a stellar summer. The two-time Grand Slam champion has captured 15 of her last 17 matches. She advanced to the finals of the French Open and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
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