News

 

 

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova continued the upset trend at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open this year by defeating No. 12 Yanina Wickmayer in the first quarterfinal of the day. Pavlyuchenkova, the No. 25 ranked player in the world, battled back and forth with Wickmayer in the first set finally taking it 7-5. Wickmayer battled back to win the second set 6-3 but Pavlychenkova rolled in the third winning 6-1.

 

Pavlyuchenkova will play three-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova in the night cap Saturday night. Sharapova, the No. 10 seed, continued her dominant Cincinnati performance beating No. 16 seed Marion Bartoli 6-1, 6-4

 

In the second quarterfinal of the day, Ana Ivanovic continued her impressive run in Cincinnati with a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of qualifier Akgul Amanmuradova, who defeated top seed Jelena Jankovic on Thursday.

 

Ivanovic will meet No. 4 seed Kim Clijsters who won a thrilling match against No. 11 seed Flavia Pennetta 7-6(6), 6-4. Clijsters advances to the semifinals in Cincinnati for the first time in her illustrious career. Ivanovic will also be making her first Cincinnati semifinals debut.