Wickmayer beats Peer, Pennetta downs Schiavone to reach Auckland final

Wickmayer, Pennetta reach Auckland final

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — When Yanina Wickmayer was banned for anti-doping violations, the first player to offer unconditional support was Israel’s Shahar Peer.

On Friday in Wickmayer’s first tournament since a Belgian civil court lifted her one-year ban in December, she beat Peer 6-4, 7-5 in the ASB Classic semifinals.

In the other semifinal, top-seeded Flavia Pennetta swept past Italian countrywoman Franncesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-0.

Wickmayer and compatriot Xavier Malisse were banned in November for failing on three occasions to inform Belgian anti-doping officials of their whereabouts, as WADA rules require. Last month, a court lifted Wickmayer’s ban pending an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the European Commission and the European Court of Human Rights. That cleared the way for her to play in Auckland.

“It was a shame she got the ban and I’m happy she could come back,” Peer said.

“I sent her an e-mail to support her and I said I hoped she was fine. They went too far with the penalty, which she did not deserve.”

Peer’s support and her budding friendship with Wickmayer counted for little Friday. The Belgian broke serve in the third and fifth games en route to winning the first set in 35 minutes.

Peer was aggressive and determined in the second set, taking a 3-0 lead, but Wickmayer, who served well in windy conditions, fought back to break the Israeli and level the set at 3-3.

Peer held serve under pressure in the seventh game, won the ninth game to love but dropped serve again, critically, in the 11th game, allowing Wickmayer to serve out the match.

“I didn’t play my best tennis today but she didn’t either,” Wickmayer said.

“They were tough conditions with the wind and we had to wait while it rained but I’m glad I managed to pull out a win.”