By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, September 23, 2016
Elina Svitolina rallied from a break down in the final set defeating top-seeded Garbiñe Muguruza, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to advance to the Tokyo semifinals.
Photo credit: Toray Pan Pacific Open
Elina Svitolina staged a third-set charge toppling top-seeded Garbiñe Muguruza in Tokyo.
Svitolina twice rallied from a break down in the deciding set defeating the reigning Roland Garros champion, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, to reach the Toray Pan Pacific Open semifinals.
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"I think we both played really well," Svitolina said afterward. "The second and third sets were great tennis."
It was Svitolina's second win over Muguruza this season, following a 7-6 (3), 6-3 victory in Dubai.
The world No. 20 played cleaner tennis. Muguruza doubled Svitolina's unforced error total (43 to 21).
Svitolina, who drained 19 errors from the third-ranked Spaniard in the final set, broke for a 5-3 lead in the decider before serving out the match at 15.
"It was a great match," Svitolina said. "I'm really happy it went my way."
Svitolina will face Japanese wild card Naomi Osaka for a spot in the final.
The 18-year-old Osaka broke serve five times defeating qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich, 6-3, 7-6 (6).
Osaka, who is bidding to become the first Japanese champion in Tokyo since Kimiko Date-Krumm in 1995, has not dropped a set in three tournament wins.
The 66th-ranked Osaka upset Svitolina, 6-4, 6-4, at the Australian Open in January. Svitolina won their first meeting, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, at the 2014 Osaka tournament.
Reigning champion Agnieszka Radwanska dissected Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig, 6-2, 6-3, rolling into her fifth Tokyo semifinal.
The second-seeded Radwanska, who leads the WTA for most matches and most titles won on the Asian swing since 2011, hit eight aces in a 76-minute victory.
"I definitely played my best tennis today," said Radwanska, who raised her record to 41-14 on the season. "I was serving well and keeping the ball very well. Obviously I knew she is a really great player, playing in a very top form. So I'm really glad I could do everything today, in my game."
Radwanska will take on good friend Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals.
Former world No. 1 Wozniacki broke serve five times in a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over qualifier Magda Linette.
The 28-year-old Wozniacki advanced to her fifth Tokyo semifinal. Wozniacki, who defeated Elena Dementieva to win the 2010 Tokyo title, reached her second straight semifinal following her run to the US Open final four.
Wozniacki has won eight of 12 meetings with Radwanska.
"We've played many times before, and again she's a close friend," Wozniacki said. "It's going to be another tough one because she's been playing well this week, but I'm just happy to be in the semifinals again."