The 25-year old Swiss overcame the high temperatures of the Gold Coast, which forced the players to take a 10-minute break, as she cruised to her third consecutive singles victory.
"I know I can last three sets now, especially mentally," Hingis was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
"I would have been pretty hard on myself if I had lost this match because I had it totally under control,” admitted the five-time Grand Slam winner.
Hingis next faces Italy’s fourth-seeded, Flavia Pennetta who ousted the Swiss’ doubles partner, Tatiana Golovin 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
Russian world number 20, Dinara Safina and rising star Lucie Safarova claimed the remaining two spots in the last-four stage.
Safina reached the semifinals after posting a convincing victory over Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues while Safarova stunned the tournament’s top-seed and defending champion Patty Schnyder.