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Patna : A resurgent Svetlana Kuznetsova, 34, Russia, the World No 153, stunned World No 3 Karolina Pliskova, 27, Czech Republic, in the quarter-finals to advance to the semi-finals of Cincinnati Open, a WTA Premier hard courts tournament, at Ohio, USA, on August 16, 2019, late night.
Kuznetsova upset Pliskova in a three-set thriller 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 in the quarter-finals. The Russian won 3 break points in the match to 2 by Pliskova. Both the players won 3 games each in a row in the match. Pliskova though fired 9 Aces in the match to 6 by the Russian, the winner of two Grand Slam singles title. Kuznetsova, who had upset World No 10 Sloane Stephens, USA, in the previous round, will face top seed and World No 2 Ashleigh Barty, 23, Australia, in the semi-finals on August 17, 2019, at 8.30 pm.
World No 22 Sofia Kenin, 20, USA, entered the semi-finals after quarter-finals opponent and World No 1 and 2nd seed Naomi Osaka, 21, Japan, retired due to injury in the third set of their quarter-finals match on August 17, 2019, early morning. Kenin won the first set 6-4 while Osaka won the second set 6-1. Osaka retired trailing 0-2 in the third set. Kenin will face World No 18 Madison Keys, 24, USA, the 2017 US Open finalist, in the semi-finals.
Keys bushed aside World No 65 Venus Williams, 39, USA, the winner of 7 Grand Slam singles titles including 5 Wimbledon titles, 6-2, 6-3 in the QFs on August 17. Keys, the 16th seed, won 3 break points to none by Venus. Keys fired 5 Aces in the match to just 1 by Venus. The World No 18 also won 3 games in a row in the match.