Szavay beats injured Hantuchova to reach semis

Hungary's Agnes Szavay reacts after winning her quarter-final match against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova in the Paris Open tennis tournament February 8, 2008.

PARIS (Reuters) - Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay beat injured Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 6-1 on Friday to advance to the semi-finals of the Paris Open.

The Slovak, seeded second in the indoor event, opened up a 4-1 lead in the first set but the 18-year-old Szavay fought back and eventually took the tiebreak 7-4.

At 1-1 in the second set Hantuchova received treatment on her right hand and had it bandaged. She then lost the next five games, bowing out after hitting a backhand wide on match point.

"My hand was hurting, it's true, but that's not an excuse," said Hantuchova. "My opponent played really well."

Seventh seed Szavay next meets Russian Elena Dementieva, seeded fourth, who took control after a tight first set to move past Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5 6-2.

Third seed Marion Bartoli also advanced, beating fellow Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano 6-1 7-6.

For a place in Sunday's final, last year's Wimbledon runner-up will face former world number one Amelie Mauresmo of France or Russian Anna Chakvetadze, the top seed.

(Reporting by Chrystel Boulet-Euchin, writing by Patrick Vignal, editing by Justin Palmer)