DALLAS, TX, USA - Two seeds will contest one semifinal at the Texas Tennis Open, while two qualifiers will compete in the other, making this the first event since Bogotá in 2008 with multiple qualifiers through to the final four.

While each of Thursday's winners advanced in straight sets, none was more dominant than Angelique Kerber. The German won 54 points while only losing 25 in her 60 61 rout of Johanna Larsson that featured an 18-minute first set and lasted 45 minutes altogether. When she takes on fellow qualifier Aravane Rezai, it will be the first semifinal of 2011 for both. Interestingly enough, they both have the same number of career match wins - 238 with Kerber having 153 losses and Rezai 162.

Rezai had lost twice this year in straight sets to Elena Baltacha, including just two weeks ago in Toronto qualifying, but she completely turned the tides on Thursday, handling the Brit, 62 62.

"It was a pretty tough match," Rezai said. "She's a very good player with a good serve and a good return. I tried to be as relaxed as I could and fight as much as I could. I was really consistent and aggressive, and that was the key."

The bottom half of the draw has gone a bit more according to form, as fifth-seeded Sabine Lisicki will square off with eighth-seeded Irina-Camelia Begu for a berth in the final. Lisicki beat qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko, 61 62, the third time in three matches this week in which she lost just three games.

"I feel a lot better now," Lisicki said. "I think I'm hitting the ball cleaner with less errors. Still a couple too many, but I'm a perfectionist, and it's getting better every day. It's great to have so many good matches under my belt in preparation for the US Open."

Begu, who turns 21 on Friday, got past Anastasija Sevastova, 63 64. She also hasn't dropped a set all week.

In doubles action, Alberta Brianti and Sorana Cirstea reached the final with a 63 63 defeat of No.3 seeds Sofia Arvidsson and Casey Dellacqua.