DOHA:
Veronika Kudermetova upset the Doha Open seedings to beat the American teenager Coco Gauff 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 on Thursday to set up a semi-final with world number one Iga Swiatek.
Kudermetova, the 25-year-old Russian, ranked eighth, only needed two hours to beat the world number four.
If she is to reach her first WTA final since Istanbul last April, Kudermetova will have to get past a new Swiatek.
The French and US Open champion made it to the last four after Abu Dhabi weekend winner Belinda Bencic withdrew from their quarter-final.
Kudermetova, who will be playing in her second semi-final of the year, has not won a set against Swiatek in the previous two meetings.
Star Poland Swiatek barely breaking a sweat in her opening match of the tournament, only taking one game and needing just 53 minutes to defeat Danielle Collins on Wednesday .
Last season, Swiatek started a 37-match winning streak in Doha, where she won her first WTA 1000-level hard-court title.
A day after saving two points to defeat Jelena Ostapenko, second seed Jessica Pegula had an easier time, saving in a 6-3 win. , 6-2 to Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Pegula won six matches to reach the last four in Doha two years ago after qualifying.
“It’s a little different than the awards days,” he said.
“It’s easier on the body, but it’s definitely very difficult on the strength and the difficulty of the field.”
Pegula had 22 wins in 16 unforced errors on Thursday while Haddad Maia made just 12 wins in 20 unforced errors.
The American will meet Maria Sakkari after the Greek defeated WTA Finals champion Caroline Garcia of France 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5). .
“The conditions were very difficult for both of us,” said Sakkari.
“I think we did a really good job in the second set of holding our serve and not giving the opponent a chance to rest. You don’t see that often in women’s tennis. It was great. a lot.”
Sakkari finished with 30 wins to 21 unforced errors while Garcia finished with 43 wins to 44 unforced errors.
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