WUHAN, China - Maria Sakkari got her second win over Alizé Cornet this year as she secured her first WTA semifinal spot at the Dongfeng Motor Wuhan Open, 7-6(2), 7-5.

Currently ranked No.80, Sakkari made it through qualifying to reach the main draw in Wuhan, where she has already beaten fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki and 16th seed Elena Vesnina, both in straight sets.

"It's been a tough week for me, a good week obviously," Sakkari said after the match. "I've been running a lot inside the court, but it's not time to be tired. I still have tomorrow's match, and why not more matches to come?

"I just have never stopped fighting -- just run, take the opportunities, but mostly fight."

The World No.42 had been looking for revenge after the Greek No.1 had eliminated her from the Australian Open earlier this year.

Cornet broke the Sakkari serve in the second game of the match, but the Greek was not shaken, breaking back twice to take the lead in the first set.

She had set points on Cornet's serve, but the Frenchwoman clawed her way back to hold.

Cornet then fended off more set points on the 22-year-old's serve, showing tenacity as she kept herself in the first set by breaking serve to level matters at 5-5.

Cornet won three games in a row but Sakkari held to force the tiebreak, and used her momentum to wrap it up 7-2 on her eighth set point.

Cornet broke serve in the third game of the second set, but failed to serve it out and as her forehand crumbled, Sakkari broke to love to take the match in straight sets.

She next faces Caroline Garcia, who defeated Ekaterina Makarova 7-6(3), 6-4 earlier in the day.

"I didn't have time to look at her game [today]. I obviously saw her playing sometimes, and I know that she's very aggressive player," Sakkari said of her French foe. 

"It's going to be a very tough match for me. She has been playing very well, and she had a really good year. I cannot tell you much, but we will see tomorrow."