By Chris Oddo | Friday April 5, 2019

The Abierto GNP Seguros in Monterrey has one heck of a lineup on tap for the semi-finals.

Three multiple major winners will bid for a spot in the final on Saturday as defending champion Garbiñe Muguruza, Angelique Kerber and Victoria Azarenka moved through in straight sets on Friday.

Azarenka, making her Monterrey debut, toppled four-time champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-0 6-4 in 68 minutes to reach her first semi-final in over a year. The 29-year-old former World No.1 broke serve six times on eight opportunities to improve to 5-1 against the Russian.

Azarenka will bid to reach her first WTA final since 2016 Miami when she face Angelique Kerber on Saturday. Kerber eased past Kirsten Flipkens 6-2 6-4.



Azarenka owns a 7-1 record against Kerber but they have not met since 2016 in Brisbane, before Kerber won any of the three Grand Slam titles that she now claims.

The other semi-final will be played by Garbiñe Muguruza and Magdalena Rybarikova. Muguruza had to fend off a strong push from Kristina Mladenovic but held off the Frenchwoman in straight sets 6-1 7-6(5). Mladenovic rallied from 5-1 down in the second set but could not push through in the tiebreaker.

Rybarikova, who owns a 2-4 lifetime record against Muguruza, defeated Sachia Vickery 6-4 6-4.