Russian world number two Vera Zvonareva expressed condolences to victims of a suicide bombing that killed at least 35 people at her country's busiest airport after her quarter-final win at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Monday's attack ripped through crowds at the arrivals hall of Moscow's Domodedovo airport, killing at least eight foreigners and prompting Russian leaders to demand swift retribution for the culprits behind the bombing.
"It is definitely a difficult one," said Muscovite Zvonareva, who wore a black ribbon on her visor during her 6-2 6-4 defeat of Czech Petra Kvitova.
"The news came and it was quite shocking.
"But... you're here in Australia and you have your match coming. You just try to think about that.
"Definitely, there was a moment where I felt a bit uncomfortable. You're calling back home and making sure everyone is okay, the people that you know.
"I just tried to put it away. It happened. It is terrible. But, you know, you try to move on."
Zvonareva will play Kim Clijsters for a place in the final after the Belgian edged Pole Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3 7-6.
The Russian, who made the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open, will be buoyed by her solid performance against lanky Czech Kvitova, mowing through the first set before weathering a late fightback to close out the match in 75 minutes.
The sound of booming cannons fired as part of celebrations for the country''s national holiday on Wednesday tested the players' concentration, while an elderly spectator fainting in the crowd held up play for a couple of minutes in the second set.
"It was a bit of a difficult moment there... It was a little bit distracting," said Zvonareva, who allowed Kvitova to claw back to 5-4 before closing out the match.
Zvonareva enters her semi-final after winning three of her last four against third seed Clijsters, including wins at Wimbledon and the Tour Championships, but lost to the Belgian in the final at Flushing Meadows.
"I haven't thought about it yet, but I definitely will try to take positives from those matches when I beat her and try to think (them) over again, okay, why I lost so quickly in the final, just try to avoid those moments," said Zvonareva.
"I still think that no matter what, I can still beat anyone on the other side of the net if I play my best tennis. It's just a matter of me actually going out there and executing that."
