Australia's Alicia Molik continued her recent hot form by progressing to the semi-finals of the $US110,000 ($A180,000) Budapest Grand Prix tournament.

The third seed was far too strong for 15-year-old qualifier Jarmila Gajdosova of Slovakia in beating her in straight sets 6-4 6-3.

Molik's victory ensured her stellar start to the 2003 season rolled on as she aims to take her current world ranking of 54 into the top 50.

In the day's other quarter-finals second-seeded Magui Serna of Spain breezed passed Hungary's Petra Mandula with a 6-1 6-2 victory.

Serna, who is trying to win her second consecutive title after last week's Estoril Open, was only broken once, at the beginning of the second set, but immediately regained composure and swept the next six games.

"I'm happy with the way I played today," Serna said. "I served well and I think my opponent was a little nervous in front of a home crowd."

Serna's semifinal opponent is Ludmila Cervanova of Slovakia, who defeated Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 7-5 6-3.

On the other half of the draw, Molik will face Maria Sanchez Lorenzo of Spain after she eliminated Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro 6-4 4-6 6-3 in a match lasting more than two and a half hours.

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