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Japan’s Naomi Osaka produced another explosive performance to beat Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich and reach the Pan Pacific Open semi-finals yesterday.
Osaka, born of a Japanese mother and a Haitian father, will face Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the last four after her shock three-set victory over top seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain.
The 18-year-old Osaka, who models her power game on her idol Serena Williams, reached the last four of a WTA tournament for the first time after a 6-3, 7-6 victory in Tokyo, finishing in style by smashing an ace down the centre line.
Osaka erased a 5-0 deficit in the second set to force a tiebreak she won 8-6 to advance, but Svitlona will be a threat after bundling out French Open champion Muguruza 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
On the other side of the draw, second seed Agnieszka Radwanska booked her place in the semi-finals as the Pole overpowered Puerto Rico’s Rio Olympic gold medallist Monica Puig 6-2, 6-3.
She next plays former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, winner in Tokyo six years ago, after the Dane beat Poland’s Magda Linette 6-4, 6-3.
Beijing: Defending champion Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Croatian teen sensation Ana Konjuh in the semifinals of the WTA Guangzhou International Women’s Open yesterday.
Second seed Jankovic, who is yet to drop a set in China, is now just one win away from defending her title and claiming the $226,750 top prize.
She followed up her straight-sets victory over Sabine Lisicki Thursday with a hard-fought triumph over US open quarter-finalist Konjuh.
Former world number one Jankovic beat Konjuh, 7-5, 7-6(7) to advance to the final, pulling off a brilliant comeback to avoid a decider, reeling in Konjuh’s 4-1 lead to force a tie-break, then thwarting two break points before completing the win.
She will face Lesia Tsurenko after the Ukrainian player surged past Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-4, 6-2.
Seoul: Fifth seed Monica Niculescu on Friday advanced to the Korea Open semifinal along with compatriot Patricia Maria Tig, raising a prospect of all-Romanian final.
The 28-year-old Niculescu, currently the world number 55, defeated Jana Cepelova from Slovakia 6-4, 6-2 in 81 minutes.
Cepelova, currently the world number 102, had reached the quarter-final by scoring a surprise victory over the defending champion Irina-Camelia Begu.
Tig, ranked the world 135, beat Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain 7-6(2), 2-6, 6-3 in 154-minute showdown.
Niculescu will next play third seed Zhang Shuai who on Friday beat Italy’s Camila Giorgi, and Tig will match against Lara Arruabarrena of Spain.
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