Sydney's Laura Enever caught a last-ditch wave to book a semi-final against world number two Sally Fitzgibbons on day five of the Australian Open.

Following the dramatic late victory over France's Pauline Ado, the 20-year-old admitted: "There was a part of me thinking this might be the end."

"But then I thought 'it's never over," she continued. "You can catch a wave with one second on the clock and get the score.

"I knew I had to find something and when that wave popped up I thought 'this is it, this is the one."

The more accomplished veteran Fitzgibbons defeated Lakey Peterson of the United States 10.73 to 5.44 despite a fractured arm suffered during a wipeout in Fuji.

"It's a good feeling to be through to the semis for the first event of the year," said Fitzgibbons.

Hawaiian Malia Manuel and Peru's Sofia Mulanovich will contest the other semi-final on the weekend.

The men's world number two also had a good day at the beach, as Coolangatta resident Joel Parkinson succeeded in his round of 96 heat to march on.

"It's been a while since I have surfed a four-man heat, so I was nervous," Parkinson said.

"I was expecting to hear 'Parkinson, you're in fourth place' over the loud speaker.

"I've been waiting all week for my heat and it's good to get it out of the way and start 2012 with a heat win."

RESULTS:

Men's Round of 96

Heat One

Red 1 15.34 Joel Parkinson AUS

White 2 14.27 Cooper Chapman AUS

Yellow 4 7.17 Dayyan Neve AUS

Black 3 13.94 Cory Arrambide USA

Heat Two

Red 1 16.70 Evan Geiselman USA

White 2 10.70 Heath Joske AUS

Yellow 3 8.80 Leandro Usuna ARG

Black 4 7.57 Chase Wilson USA

Heat Three

Red 1 16.43 Kolohe Andino USA

White 2 13.33 Nathaniel Curran USA

Yellow 4 7.67 Sidney Guimaraes BRA

Black 3 9.73 Daniel Karren AUS

Women's quarter-finals

White 1 13.50 Laura Enever AUS

Black 2 12.00 Pauline Ado FRA

White 2 5.44 Lakey Peterson USA

Black 1 10.73 Sally Fitzgibbons AUS

White 2 11.67 Joanne Defay FRA

Black 1 11.67 Malia Manuel HAW

White 1 15.44 Sofia Mulanovich PER

Black 2 11.50 Rebecca Woods AUS

Liam Happe - on Twitter @liamhappe / Eurosport