Shenzhen (China) (AFP)
Karolina Pliskova, N.2 World, will face N.1 Ashleig Barty in the semifinals of the Masters on Saturday in Shenzhen (China) after dismissing Simona Halep, while defending champion Elina Svitolina will face Switzerland Belinda Bencic .
Pliskova qualified for the semi-finals by beating Simona Halep (5th) on Friday in three sets of 6-0, 2-6, 6-4 in 1:45.
The Czech takes second place in the purple group behind the Ukrainian Elina Svitolina and thus joins the final four of this Masters, for the third year in a row.
Barty is sure to finish the year in first place worldwide.
With two games out of three lost, Simona Halep, Masters finalist in 2014 and crowned at Wimbledon this year, is eliminated.
In the first set, Pliskova left no chance for the Romanian to score a game. But in the second set, Halep broke in the first game. Resulted 2-0, Pliskova scored again (2-2) , before being finally released by his opponent.
In the deciding set, Halep broke out again and won his next serve, before being joined and led by the Czech, 5-2. Halep reacted by registering two games in a row. Insufficient. Karolina Pliskova ended up winning through a match point on the net.
In the other match of the day, Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, already qualified for the semi-finals before the match, beat American Sofia Kenin 7-5, 7-6 (12/10).
© 2019 AFP