Olga Govortsova of Belarus stayed on course for her maiden title by thrashing out-of-sorts Russian Alisa Kleybanova 6-2 6-1 in the Kremlin Cup semi-finals today. In tomorrow's final, 67th-ranked Govortsova will take on eighth-seeded Italian Francesca Schiavone, who crushed Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko 6-4 6-0 earlier in the day.

Just a handful of spectators turned out to watch the women's semi-finals after most of the top seeds and high-profile players were knocked out of the annual indoor tournament in the first two rounds. Schiavone, however, paid little attention to a sparse crowd at the 12 000-seat Olympic arena, disposing of the 36th-ranked Ukrainian in just over an hour. Schiavone, who has lost nine out of 10 career finals, including the Moscow showpiece against France's Mary Pierce in 2005.

In the second semi, Govortsova took the initiative from the start by breaking Kleybanova's serve in the opening game. The 20-year-old Muscovite, who stunned second seed and holder Jelena Jankovic in the previous round, looked in distress as she made 39 unforced errors, nearly twice as many as Govortsova.

"No, the match wasn't as easy as the score showed," Govortsova, 21, said after reaching her first final of the year. "Nearly every game was close and I had to fight really hard to win it."

In the men's semi-finals later today, Russian third seed Mikhail Youzhny faces Kazakh qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin and sixth-seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic plays Ukrainian qualifier Ilya Marchenko.

Baghdatis through in Stockholm after Soderling retires
Home favourite Robin Soderling was forced to withdraw from his Stockholm Open semi-final, sending Marcos Baghdatis through to the final without the Cypriot having to strike a ball. Baghdatis will face Olivier Rochus in the final after the Belgian outlasted rising Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 7-6 4-6 6-3.

Soderling, the top seed, was unable to play because of an elbow injury. The world number 10, who is chasing a spot in the season-ending Masters Cup in London, received treatment for the injury during his quarter-final win over Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez on Thursday.

Soderling lost in the Stockholm final last year to Argentine David Nalbandian - Reuters