Romania's Irina Spirlea takes on top seed Mary Pierce in the semi-finals of the $170,000 Australian Women's Hardcourt Tennis Championship in Brisbane today.

Third-seeded Spirlea defeated Germany's Anke Huber 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 yesterday to set up the showdown with Pierce, who beat her French compatriot Nathalie Dechy 6-4, 6-3 in the other quarter-final.

Pierce has a 3-2 record against Spirlea, with the French number one winning their last match at the Sydney International in 1997.

Ranked 15 in the world, Spirlea believes she has the game to beat the 1995 Australian Open winner. Spirlea's win over Huber, her first after five previous attempts, was marred by questionable line calls.

The other semi-final will feature second seed Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who beat Spain's Magui Serna 6-0, 1-6, 6-4, and defending champion Ai Sugiyama of Japan, who ousted American qualifier Brie Rippner 6-3 6-3.