French player Fiona Ferro cruised past Sara Errani 6-4 6-1 to advance to the semifinal of the Ladies Open in Palermo. World number 53 Ferro scored her third straight-set win this week.
Errani earned an early break in the opening game of the first set. Ferro missed a break point chance at 2-1, but she broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3.
Ferro saved four break points in a 13-minute seventh game. Errani earned her fifth break point after a forehand error from Ferro and converted it with a backhand error to take a 4-3 lead.
Ferro broke straight back with a backhand return winner down the line to draw level to 4-4. The French player held serve for 5-4 before earning three set points in the next game with three forehand. Ferro converted on her first set point after Errani netted a backhand.
Ferro earned the first break of the second set to open up a 2-0 lead with a backhand winner. Ferro went up a double break to race out to a 4-0 lead. Errani pulled one break back at love and earned two game points at 4-1, but Ferro converted her third break point chance with a return winner to pull away to 5-1. Ferro earned three match points with a backhand winner and converted her first chance with a forehand winner down the line.
Ferro will face either Dayana Yastremska or Camila Giorgi in the semifinal.
