Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka needed more than two hours to rally past unseeded Nikola Bartunkola on Friday and earn a spot in the Berlin Tennis Open semifinals.
Czechia’s Bartunkola, the No. 62 player in the world, claimed the first set but could go no further against the top-ranked Belarus native in a 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 match that lasted two hours, 23 minutes. Bartunkola converted just six of 17 break-point chances while Sabalenka converted five of eight.
Sabalenka will face third-seeded Jessica Pegula in Saturday’s semifinal play. Pegula advanced with a hard-fought 7-6 (5), 7-6 (8) win over Madison Keys. While Keys owned a 10-5 advantage in aces, she converted only two of her seven break-point opportunities.
No. 8 Linda Noskova of Czechia moved on with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Spain’s Paula Badosa. Noskova takes on unseeded Alexandra Eala in Saturday’s second semi as the Phillipines native followed up her upset of No. 2 Elena Rybakina with a 6-3, 6-4 win over No. 6 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.
Lexus Nottingham Open
Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic continued her unexpected run with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory over No. 5 seed Ann Li in this WTA 250 event in Nottingham, United Kingdom.
The 33-year-old Golubic, ranked No. 76 in the world, took advantage of Li’s second serves in the decisive set by winning eight of 12 points.
Golubic will face No. 3 seed Emma Navarro in Saturday’s semifinal action as Navarro handled Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 7-6 (6), 6-2.
The first semifinal features two Czechia natives in No. 4 seed Marie Bouzkova and unseeded Karolina Pliskova. Bouzkova defeated Germany’s Tatjana Maria 7-5, 6-0 while Pliskova knocked out Australia’s Talia Gibson by a 7-5, 6-4 count.
–Field Level Media
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