Dementieva gets free ticket to semis

CHARLESTON, South Carolina – Top-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia advanced to the Family Circle Cup semifinals when Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova quit in the second set Friday because of a leg injury.

Dementieva next meets fifth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark, who routed Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano, 6-2, 6-0.

German Sabine Lisicki, the 16th-seed who ousted Venus Williams on Thursday, advanced with an easy 6-4, 6-0 victory over unseeded Russian Elena Vesnina. She will face sixth-seed Marion Bartoli of France, who easily eliminated Hungary’s Melinda Czink, 6-4, 6-1

Dementieva won the first set 6-4, and was up 1-0 in the second against Cibulkova in a match featuring long baseline rallies. Cibulkova, seeded seventh, played with her left thigh wrapped and had it rewrapped between sets before retiring. She waved to the crowd as she walked off the green clay.

A tour spokesman said that Cibulkova’s leg had been wrapped because of a left adductor, or groin, injury.   (AP)