Raymond into Big Island semis

Lisa Raymond is bidding for her fourth title

Second seed Lisa Raymond beat Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-4 6-7 6-4 on Friday in the quarter-finals of the Big Island Championships.

Raymond, the 29-year-old American seeking her fourth WTA Tour title, will face Belgium's Els Callens in the semi-finals. Callens beat Samantha Reeves 4-6 7-5 6-0.

In the other quarter-finals, Zimbabwe's Cara Black beat fourth seed Elena Likhovtseva of Russia 6-4 6-0, and Spain's Gala Leon Garcia defeated Jill Craybas 6-0 6-3.

Raymond outlasted Martinez, the 1994 Wimbledon champion, in hot and humid conditions.

"It was a tough match and it was battle of wills in the end," Raymond said.

"The clouds came over in the third, but the first couple sets were brutal.

"You just had to work for every point out there. I just capitalised on coming in and playing the big points a little better than she did today."

Because of the heat, the players were given a 10-minute break after the second set.

Martinez, the seventh seed, led 3-1 in the final set, but Raymond rallied to tie it 3-3 before pulling away.

"It was just a matter of hanging in and getting my chances," Raymond said. "When I was down 3-1, I knew I could break."