World No. 1 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan advanced to the Ningbo Open semifinals with a three-set win Friday against Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa in China.
In a match with a combined nine service breaks, the top-seeded Rybakina completed her 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 victory in 1 hour and 45 minutes thanks to a 29-14 advantage in winners. Up next for Rybakina is No. 6 Diana Shnaider of Russia, who outlasted No. 4 Iva Jovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 in 2 hours and 11 minutes.
The other semifinal of the WTA 500 tournament features unseeded players Leylah Fernandez of Canada and Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic. Fernandez rallied for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win over Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova, and Bouzkova posted a 6-3, 6-4 win against countrywoman Sara Bejlek.
Japan open
Top-seeded Ann Li will meet unseeded Ashlyn Krueger in an all-American semifinal in Osaka after getting there in vastly different ways.
Li survived a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (0) challenge from Austria’s Lilli Tagger in 2 hours and 11 minutes, while Krueger cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory against No. 4 seed Talia Gibson of Australia in just 61 minutes.
Top-ranked Rybakina into Ningbo quarter-finals on return from injury
Meeting in the other semifinal at the WTA 250 tournament are No. 8 Katie Boulter of Great Britain and unseeded Czech Katerina Siniakova. Boulter overcame a slow start for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic, while Siniakova breezed to a 6-1, 6-2 triumph against American Mary Stoiana.