Johanna Konta digs deep to reach Kremlin Cup semi-finals
Johanna Konta held off a fighting Aliaksandra Sasnovich at the Kremlin Cup to reach only her second semi-final of the 2018 season.
The British No 1 has been in poor form in recent months with a host of first-round exits, but she has put together a decent run in Moscow.
Konta beat the Belarusian 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2) in two hours and 38 minutes.
.@JohannaKonta crosses the finish line!
The top Brit closes out Sasnovich 6-2, 2-6, 7-6(2) to punch her @tennisrussia semifinal ticket. pic.twitter.com/08NA4oCwte
— WTA (@WTA) October 18, 2018
Next up for the 27-year-old is Daria Kasatkina after the Russian sixth seed beat compatriot Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-3.
What a 🎥 reel!@DKasatkina knocks off compatriot Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-3 @tennisrussia to advance to the semifinals. pic.twitter.com/FE91tfhEcK
— WTA (@WTA) October 18, 2018
The other semi-final will be between Ons Jabeur and Anastasija Sevastova.
Tunisian Jabeur, who accounted for third seed Sloane Stephens’ second-round exit, claimed the scalp of eighth seed Anett Kontaveit with a 7-5, 6-1 win.
The fifth-ranked Sevastova, meanwhile, overcame a shaky start to beat Russian Vera Zvonareva 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
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