At the US$10,000 ITF Women's Circuit at Khonkaen, Northeastern Thailand, Venise Chan defeated 1069th-ranked Korean qualifier, Kang Seo-Kyung, 6-2, 7-5, to progress to the last four. She will next face China's Lu Jia-Xiang (WTA 944) for a place in the final.

The Hong Kong Fed Cupper will be gunning to reach her fifth career C10 final since making a winning pro circuit debut back in November 2005 when she, as a qualifier, knocked out three seeded players – No. 1 Lyoo-Suh Hee-Sun (KOR), No. 3 Rebecca Fong (GBR), and No. 8 Natasha Khan (GBR) – en route to the C10 Manila 1 title.

Thus far in her forays on the ITF Women's Circuit, Venise has made it to the semifinals five times and only once did she not go on to progress to the title decider.

She is 2-2 in career C10 finals after having also won the 10K event in Bangkok in July 2006.

Her pair of finals losses have come against reigning Pac-10 Player of the Year and UCLA No. 1 Riza Zalameda at the C10 Manila 2 in November 2005, and against Indonesian No. 1 Sandy Gumulya (WTA 268) at the C10 Jakarta in September 2006.

Her opponent tomorrow is 18-year-old Lu Jia-Xiang, who was responsible for the demise of No. 1 seed Seiko Okamoto (WTA 268) in the first round.

Although currently ranked 944th in the world, the Liaoning native did peak at No. 531 (6 Aug 2007) after reaching the quarterfinals of the C50 Guangzhou in June 2007 and then beating Noppawan Lertcheewakarn to win her only title thus far at the C10 Bangkok the following month.

Lu Jia-Xiang was also ranked as high as No. 574 in doubles (11 Feb 2008) after having reached the quarterfinals at the C75 Xiamen.

The other semifinal at Khonkaen will see Lu Jia-Xiang's twin sister, Lu Jia-Jing (WTA 660), go up against No. 2 seed Chen Yan-Chong (WTA 397), who just got by the other remaining seed in the bottom bracket, No. 7 Chen Yi of Chinese Taipei (WTA 543), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(2).

The 21-year-old Chen Yan-Chong has dropped from a career-best singles ranking of No. 187 (6 Nov 2006) to the present No. 397. However, she has just picked up the C25 Qian Shan title in Liaoning earlier in June.

In the women's doubles, the Thai pairing of Kanyapat Narattana and Nungnadda Wannasuk defeated No. 1 seeds Varatchaya Wongteanchai and Sophia Mulsap, 7-5, 3-6, [10-5], in the semifinals and will now face No. 3 seeds Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri of India in the final.

The third-seeded Indians had earlier scraped by qualifiers Venise Chan and Jessica Yang in the opening round, 6-7(6), 6-2, [10-6].

Results
US$10,000 ITF Women's Circuit
The Srichaphan Tennis Academy
Khonkaen, Thailand
August 18-24, 2008

WOMEN'S SINGLES

Quarterfinals
(q)Venise Chan (HKG) d. (q)Kang Seo-Kyung (KOR) 6-2 7-5

Second Round
(q)Venise Chan (HKG) d. (5)Ankita Bhambri (IND) 6-2 6-4

First Round
Varatchaya Wongteanchai (THA) d. (q)Jessica Yang (HKG) 6-3 1-6 7-5
(q)Venise Chan (HKG) d. Thuy-Dung Nguyen (VIE) 6-1 6-1