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No. 2-seeded Sorana Cirstea advanced to the semifinals of the $220,000 Estoril Open with a straight-set victory Thursday in Portugal.

Cirstea was able to defeat Arantxa Rus 6-4, 6-1 in the quarterfinals despite getting only 45 percent of her first serves in. Rus, however, only forced Cirstea into three break-point situations and wasn't able to convert any.

Even with the first-serve issues, Cirstea won 67 percent of the points in her eight service games.

She draws Arantxa Parra Santonja in the semifinals. Parra Santonja came through a 2 1/2-hour battle against Jarmila Groth with a 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 7-5 victory. Late service breaks in the second and third sets decided the match.