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Serme delighted to conjure great escape

Dubai - Frenchwoman beats defending champion Massaro to make semis of PSA Dubai World Series Finals

Camille Serme was delighted that she could conjure a great escape and make her second straight semifinal in the ATCO PSA Dubai World Series Finals.

The six-seeded Frenchwoman bested defending champion Laura Massaro of England 11-7, 11-5 in 22 minutes to finish second in Group B and make the cut for the last four at the Emirates Golf Club on Thursday.

"I'm very happy with the way I played, I managed to relax and play my shots better than the other days," Serme said after her match.

Serme, who won the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions last year, said that the key was to be stingy and starve a stoic opponent like Massaro.

"She's such a fighter, she loves playing here and she never gives up, so until the very last point I didn't want to give her anything," she said.

The 29-year-old revealed that she was too hard on herself after her defeat to Egyptian Raneem El Welily on Wednesday and felt that it was all over.

But a talk with her coach Philippe Signoret calmed her nerves and gave her hope.

"I was a bit upset with myself after losing yesterday (Wednesday). Then, on the other side, I was like 'you still have a chance, be positive!' and it's funny because I called my coach and he was telling me what went wrong in my match yesterday but you have to focus on the positive side and refocus the next day," said Serme.

"I'm very happy about my performance today (Thursday)," she added.

Meanwhile, fourth seed Simon Rosner, who had already cruised through to the semifinals, for a second successive year, beat Frenchman Gregory Gaultier to make it three wins from three.

Gaultier was already out of contention and Rosner admitted it was tough to keep focus for a dead rubber.

"When you play a match when there's nothing to win and everything is already decided it's so difficult to play at 100 per cent," said Rosner.

"I have a semifinal to play tomorrow (Friday) and he knew already that he was out of the competition, so it's never easy to play matches like that. I feel a bit sorry for him that he lost out after the second day because we're good friends on tour. But I guess that's how the sport is and he'll come back stronger," he added.

Looking ahead, Rosner said that he would have to change his routine, especially since the semifinals are pencilled in for the evening session. He also said that he would have to now try and adapt to the best of five format.

"No matter who I meet I will have to find my rhythm straightaway for the semifinals. I have been playing the whole week in the afternoon and need to change my daily routine. We'll see how it goes," Rosner said.

"In the best of five, if you go in from the first game you will absolutely kill each other and it will be difficult to get through a whole five-setter. So, obviously you put the pressure from the start and play a bit of mind games. The first game you try to get your rhythm but I quite like it," added the 30-year-old.

james@khaleejtimes.com