World No. 1 and top seed Garbiñe Muguruza advanced to the semifinal of the Toray Pan Pacific Open with an impressive 6-2, 6-4 win over 9th seed Caroline Garcia Friday. Muguruza cruised to a 29-minute victory in the first set before finishing off Garcia in the second set as she made it to the final four against No.4 seed Caroline Wozniacki, who advanced after 5th seed Dominika Cibulkova retired with a right thigh injury while trailing, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 3-1. When asked about her upcoming match against Wozniacki, Muguruza said she expected it to be a difficult one but promised to be “ready and give everything again.”
It was a sorry loss for Cibulkova, who took the opening set before her play was hampered by her right thigh, allowing Wozniacki to take the second set.
In the third, Wozniacki raced to a 3-1 lead before Cibulkova retired after two hours and 27 minutes of play. Angelique Kerber defeated Karolina Pliskova, 7-6(5), 7-5, in the battle of the former No. 1 players in the world to book a spot in the semifinal. The win was Kerber’s first victory over a Top 20 player in 2017. Kerber will next face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated Barbora Strycova, 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Zhang Shuai reaches Guangzhou Open final
In China, 2013 champion and No. 2 seed Zhang Shuai made it to the finals of the Guangzhou Open after a hard-earned 7-6(7), 6-3 win over Evgeniya Rodina in one hour and 44 minutes. For the title, Zhang will next play Aleksandra Krunic, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Yanina Wickmayer in the other semifinal pairing.
After the win, Zhang admitted that her battle with Rodina was the most difficult match of the tournament. Rodina had four chances to close out the first set, but Zhang managed to hold on each time. Zhang later converted on her first and only set point to close out the tiebreak. After that, it was a breeze for Zhang, who took a 3-0 lead and never looked back en route to win.
Zhang can expect another tough fight against Krunic, who has yet to drop a set in the tournament en route to her first WTA-level final.
Ostapenko makes it to Korea Open semifinal
Jelena Ostapenko, the first Latvian woman to crack the WTA's Top 10, cruised past Veronica Cepede Royg in straight sets to reach the final four at the KEB Hana Bank-Incheon Airport Korea Open.
Ostapenko hit 23 winners and converted four of seven break point chances to clinch the victory in 72 minutes. She will next face Thai qualifier Luksika Kumkhum, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over fourth seed Sorana Cirstea. In the other semifinal pairing, Dutch No.2 Richel Hogenkamp and Beatriz Haddad Maia will face off. Hogenkamp made it to her first WTA semifinal after beating Priscilla Hon, 6-3, 6-4, Maia, for her part, ousted Sara Sorribes Tormo in two sets.
