By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, February 27, 2020
Svetlana Kuznetsova swept Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-4 to power into the Doha semifinals with her record 19th Qatar Total Open victory.
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Svetlana Kuznetsova keeps adding achievements to her distinguished career.
Kuznetsova powered past Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-4 into the Doha semifinals with her record 19th Qatar Total Open victory.
More: Maria Sharapova Retires at Age 32
The two-time Grand Slam champion cracked 39 winners sweeping the fourth-seeded Swiss weeks after Bencic beat Kuznetsova 7-6(4), 6-4 in the St. Petersburg round of 16.
The 34-year-old Russian raised her Doha record to 19-10, breaking the tournament win record she shared with former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki.
Roland Garros champion Ashleigh Barty conquered two-time Grand Slam champion Garbiñe Muguruza 6-1, 6-7(4), 6-2 to set up a semifinal vs. two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova.
Earlier, the eighth-seeded Kvitova edged wild card Ons Jabeur 7-6(2), 7-6(4).
It's the first time in five career meetings Kuznetsova has completed a victory vs. Benic. The two-time Doha finalist's lone prior win against the Swiss came via retirement at the 2016 Wuhan.
The oldest woman still standing in the singles field broke at 30 for a 5-4 lead in the opener. Kuznetsova cruised through 12 of the final 13 points played on her serve in snatching a one-set lead.
Strong serving sparked a five-game run that saw Kuznetsova break to start the second set then back up the break for 2-0.
The 2004 US Open champion scored her third straight stretching her lead to 4-1. Kuznetsova scalded her seventh ace for match point and blistered a serve winner to roll into her third Doha semifinal without surrendering a set.
Continuing her quest for a 19th career title, Kuznetsova will face Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the final.
Sabalenka stormed back from 1-3 down in the decisive set tearing through five straight game to stop Zheng Saisai 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-3.
The ninth-seeded Sabalenka improved to 10-5 on the season.
World No. 46 Kuznetsova has split two prior meetings with Sabalenka.