Nadia Petrova edged to within a win of a long-sought first title on grass as she tamed Australian Samantha Stosur 6-3, 6-3 at the WTA Eastbourne Championships on Friday.

The weather-interrupted semifinal was twice halted briefly in the opening set by sprinkles which made the grass at Devonshire park momentarily too slick to play on.

But Petrova, the eighth seed who had to quit a semi a year ago with injury, held on for the win which could lead her to a breakthrough effort on the lawns.

The Russian will face off on Saturday against the winner from French second seed Marion Bartoli and Polish number four Agnieszka Radwanska.

"I realise that I now have a great chance to finally win a title on grass," said Petrova, holder of seven WTA titles on all other surfaces.

"But it's really looking good for me now, I'd love to get a victory on grass."

Petrova notched her third win over Stosur, who missed more than half a year with illness from the US Open in September.

The Australian said that she may have lost focus during the weather interruptions. "I got a bit passive when we came back and that didn't help.

"We were playing serve and volley out there so it came down to who could serve the best. She got in a lot of first serves and I didn't get that many returns.

"If you can't return unbelievably well then you won't have a chance. I'm happy to have gotten to a semifinal, but sorry it couldn't go farther."

Petrova broke twice in the opening set of the contest which lasted for an hour and a quarter.

The 22nd-ranked Russian held her nerve in a tight fifth game of the second set, when she led 40-0, fired two double faults but somehow managed to rescue the game for 3-2.

On her next serve, she face 0-30 before holding prior to obtaining the break she needed for 5-3. With new balls in the final game, the Russian quickly serve out the victory.

"It was a boom-boom finish," said the winner, who nudged into positive territory on 12-11 this season. "I'm happy we had new balls and very happy to be in a grass court final."

Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon finalist, lost her only previous meeting with Radwanska, on hardcourt last year in Stuttgart.

AFP