Adelaide, Jan. 6 (BNA): Young qualifier Linda Noskova saved a match point before completing a stunning 6-4 6-7(3) 7-6(6) win over two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka on Friday to reach the last-round semi final. – Adelaide International Championship Finals 1.
Reuters reported that the 18-year-old Czech broke her Belarusian opponent five times in the match that lasted nearly three hours and pressed her nerves in the tie-break in the final set to prevail.
Noskova, who also upset third seed Daria Kasatkina earlier in the WTA 500 event, next meets number two and world favorite Anas Jabeur who battled over Marta Kostyuk 7-6(5) 7-5.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka avoided a late encounter from former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova to win 6-3 7-5 in the heat.
“It was a tough match. I fought until the end and I was really happy that I was able to win,” said Sabalenka, the WTA finalist, after another fight show in her build-up to the Australian Open from January 16-29.
“I think because I stay really calm and feel at home here and that’s why I’m playing really well. I haven’t dropped a set yet. Hopefully I can continue like this.”
He is followed by Sabalenka Irina-Kamelia Bego, who defeated Veronika Kudermitova 7-5, 6-4.
Leila Fernandez lost only three matches in two matches at the Auckland Classic before her quarter-final match against Belgian Ysaline Bonaventure, but the Canadian – the 2021 US Open runner-up – was defeated 6-4, 6-2.
Top seed Coco Gauff had no problem with her 6-3 6-2 victory over Chinese Zhou Lin, then meets American Danka Kovinic, who beat Victoria Kuzmova with the same score.
Rebeka Masarova beat Karolina Muchova 7-6(4) 7-6(2) to complete the fourth round in the rain-hit tournament where players competed indoors again.
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