Knapp Knocks Off Second-Seeded Beck in Bad Gastein

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Knapp Knocks Off Second-Seeded Beck in Bad Gastein

By Chris Oddo

(July 19, 2013) -- Karin Knapp is the only seeded player remaining in the Nurnberger Gastein Ladies 2013 after she dispatched 19-year-old German Annika Beck to reach the semifinals on Friday.

Eighth-seeded Knapp, 26, converted on all five of her break points to cruise to a 6-0, 6-1 victory in one hour. The victory provides the world No. 69 with a modicum of revenge for a straight-sets defeat that she suffered at the hands of the Beck in June.

“The score made it look easy,” Knapp said, “but it was a tough match. I played Annika a month ago and she beat me, so she's obviously a great player.”

Knapp will face hometown favorite Yvonne Meusburger in the semifinals on Saturday. In seven visits to her favorite event, the Austrian has never failed to reach the quarterfinals. The 29-year-old defeated Arantxa Rus, 6-1, 7-6(1), to reach her fourth career semifinal, three of which have come at Bad Gastein.

One of Meusburger's two career finals also came in Bad Gastein. In 2007 she lost to Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-4 in the final.

On the top half of the draw, Andrea Hlavackova reached her first career singles semifinal. Hlavackova, a Grand Slam doubles champion (2011 French Open) and a three-time Grand Slam doubles finalist, notched a 6-3, 7-6(4) victory over Lisa-Maria Moser, while Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine defeated Austria's Patricia Mayr-Achleitner 6-3, 6-0.

(Photo Credit: Christopher Levy)