Garbiñe Muguruza
qualified for the final of the Yarra Valley Classic tournament, while
Naomi Osaka
and
Victoria Azarenka
withdrew from pre-Australian Open tournaments, joining
Serena Williams
and
Simona Halep
, concerned about injuries.
Muguruza decisively defeated Czech
Markéta Bondrousova
, world number 8, 6-1, 6-0, in the semi-final match of the Yarra Valley Classic tournament.
Last year's Australian Open finalist and two Grand Slam winner will face number one
Ashleigh Barty
, who reached the final without playing after Serena Williams retired due to a sore shoulder.
Muguruza broke the Czech's serve five times to end the match in 53 minutes.
"I'm happy to have won. It's good to play with the best players and I look forward to another tough battle against number one," said the Spanish.
Muguruza has shown the same form that took her to the top of the rankings in 2017, losing 10 games in four meetings so far including the landslide victory against American
Sofia Kenin
, who was her executioner in the Australian Open final last year. .
Kerber, in shape
Earlier, 2016 Australian Open winner
Angelique Kerber
beat
Maria Sakkari
in the quarterfinals of the Grampians Trophy tournament.
The German will face Estonian
Annett Kontaveit
, who advanced after the withdrawal of
Victoria Azarenka
also due to injury.
For her part, the Japanese Osaka, world number 3 and champion of the United States Open and winner of the Australian tournament in 2019, gave up playing the semifinal match against
Elise Mertens
of the Gippsland Trophy Tournament, claiming discomfort.
"Sorry Tennis Australia and the fans for having to withdraw today," she said on the WTA Twitter account.
"I have a nasty injury and with the AO (Australian Open) on the horizon I have to be careful. I'm looking forward to playing next week."
Previously, the American Serena Williams, who preferred not to play in the semifinals against the world number one, Ashleigh Barty, had also retired due to a discomfort in her shoulder.
A two-time Australian Open winner, Azarenka was also out on Saturday, preferring not to play the quarter-final match against Anett Kontaveit at the Grampians Trophy Tournament with a sore back.
Mertens will face Kaia Kanepi in the final of the Gippsland Tournament.
While the withdrawal of Williams and Osaka seems more like a gesture to preserve themselves against the Open that starts on Monday, there is greater concern about Halep's physical form.
The No. 2 in the world ranking lost to
Alexandrova
6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinal match of the Gippsland Trophy Tournament, in which she suffered a pain in her back for which she sought medical assistance after the first set.
The Romanian already suffered a herniated disc at the end of 2018, which forced her to be on leave for six weeks.
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