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While Israeli Peer has had to overcome the unwanted attention of local political protestors, who have probably upset her opponents more then her so far, Wickmayer, the third-seeded wildcard from Belgium, was a doubtful starter for this week''''''''s tournament after a running battle with drug testing authorities.

But they have survied their respective ordeals - Wickmayer dispatched fellow wildcard Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan 6-2 6-2 in today''''''''s quarterfinals, while Peer played out only the third three-setter of the KIA Motors Singles against Russian Maria Kirilenko 6-0 3-6 6-1 to advance.

Their off-court misadventures have been just as newsworthy as their deeds between the lines so far, but another win could render those distractions distant memories.

And the pair have even been a source of mutual comfort during their respective trials. When Wickmayer faced a year''''''''s ban for not notifying authorities of her whereabouts for testing, Peer reached out to her colleague.

"Yanina is a good friend of mine and a very good player," said Peer (22). "In the offseason, when I realised [she was in trouble], I send her an email to support her.

"I''''''''m really happy she could come back. They went too far with their penalty ... she was not deserving of that."

While Wickmayer (20) has been relatively unscathed by political protests over Peer''''''''s presence at the event, she has some empathy for her pal''''''''s plight. Tomorrow, she will get a firsthand taste of the action.

"I think Shahar is a good personality and it is nice to be around her on tour. She has a good spirit ... I really respect that about her.

"Off the court, we are all friends, but once we are on the court, we compete the best we can. That''''''''s is what sporting competition is all about.

"I don''''''''t know how it is going to be tomorrow. I don''''''''t think there was a lot of distraction today, so hopefully it won''''''''t be too bad."

The pair have meet only once before, in Portugal last year, but Peer was forced to retire after only three games with a stress fracture to her foot.

"I''''''''ve seen her play a little bit and she is playing really well," said Wickmayer. "She is making a few mistakes only and winning her matches quite easily.

"This will be a really tough one."

The second semifinal also has a warm and fuzzy feel with Italian Federation Cup team-mates and doubles partners Flavia Penetta and Francesca Schiavone on opposite sides of the net this time.

Last year, the pair anchored their country to victory over the United States in the women''''''''s team championship and later tomorrow, they will team up again to face the world''''''''s No1 combination in KIA Motors Doubles semifinals.

In the meantime, they must put that friendship aside to battle for a spot in the singles final. Schiavone (29), the elder, holds a 4-1 career advantage over her top-seeded compatriot, but lost their most recent meeting last year.

"Of course, I know Francesca very well, because we grew up together," said top seed Pennetta. "It is not going to be easy to play against her tomorrow.

"She has a good serve, a good backhand and makes different things in her backhand, top spin and slice. She makes you play different tennis."

But the personable Italian was bouncing off the walls after her 6-1 6-2 dispatch of Slovak Dominika Cibulkova, the highest-ranked unseeded player (28th) in the singles draw, declaring her own form "unbelievable".

"My game today was very good," beamed Pennetta (27). "I didn''''''''t make any mistakes at all, I was very agressive and my serve was amazing.

"It does not happen too much, but there have been a few matches already and it seems like the last two years, more and more."

To be sure, her serve had been untouchable. She produced five aces (to Cibulkova''''''''s none) and allowed her rival absolutely no chances to break.

By contrast, the world No12 attacked Cibulkova''''''''s second serve, in particular, winning 69% of those second-chance points.

Only a few days ago, Pennetta walked off the court obviously frustrated with her indifferent showing in a straight-sets first-round victory over American Jill Craybas.

"I was very nervous at the beginning of the week," she reflected. "You don''''''''t know how you are going to start the year, how you are going to feel.

"The first match, I wasn''''''''t very happy and didn''''''''t play my best tennis, but it was normal.

"You try, each day, to play your best. Now I am feeling a little better."

Fourth seed Schiavone secured her semifinals berth with a ruthless 6-2 6-3 beating of Alize Cornet from France in tonight''''''''s evening session.

"I think tonight, we take dinner together ... if she wait, because it is late," said Schiavone of Pennetta. "But tomorrow is another day."