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By Tennis Now | Wednesday, May 9, 2018

The world's top two players went different directions in Madrid.

Kiki Bertens required only one hour to blast past Caroline Wozniacki, 6-2, 6-2, scoring her biggest win, while denying the second-ranked Dane's bid to regain the top spot.

More: Serena Out Of Rome, Roland Garros In Doubt

The 20th-ranked Bertens banged nearly six times as many winners as Wozniacki (29 to 6) and rarely looked stress streaking to her first win in four meetings with the 2009 finalist. Australian Open champion Wozniacki had won all six sets the pair previously played.

Two-time defending Madrid champion Simona Halep dismissed one Pliskova sister and will face her twin tomorrow with a semifinal spot on the line.

The top-seeded Halep did not drop serve dissecting left-handed Kristyna Pliskova, 6-1, 6-4, for her 15th straight victory in the Spanish capital city.

"I feel like it was a very good match, the hardest here," Halep told the media in Madrid. "She improved a lot since last year. We played together here and she was a different player. So I'm really happy I could finish that second set.

"It's always tough to play against the sisters, I always said that, because they have a strong serve and they can hit the ball strong so it's a very good win for me." 



The 26-year-old Romanian ensured she will retain the world No. 1 ranking for another week by outperforming No. 2 Wozniacki. Halep raised her record to 25-4 on the season.

Karolina Pliskova, Kristyna's twin sister, awaits Halep in a quarterfinal clash of streaking players.

The sixth-seeded Pliskova pounded Sloane Stephens, 6-2, 6-3.

It was Pliskova's first win over the US Open champion in three career meetings.

Empowered by her run to the Stuttgart title, Karolina Pliskova scored her eighth straight victory, including back-to-back wins over former Grand Slam champions Victoria Azarenka and Stephens.

Pliksova has won 16 of 18 sets she's played during her winning streak.

The 2016 US Open finalist will put her streak on the line against two-time French Open finalist Halep, who has dominated Pliskova in the past.

Halep has won six of seven meetings with the WTA ace leader, including a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, triumph in the Roland Garros semifinals last June.

"I will be ready," Halep said. "I will focus on myself, like every match, and we'll see what's gonna happen."

Bertens hit Wozniacki off the court in an overwhelming display of baseline aggression.

Bertens will play either 2017 finalist Kristina Mladenovic in a clash of Kikis or 2014 champion Maria Sharapova for a place in the final four.

Spanish veteran Carla Suárez Navarro rallied past American Bernarda Pera, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

The 25th-ranked Suárez Navarro will play Caroline Garcia for a final four spot.

The seventh-ranked Frenchwoman did not drop serve in a 6-2, 6-4, conquest of German Julia Goerges.


 

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