Quartet remain in China
September 18th 2009 11:50
FOUR different nations make up the Guangzhou International semi-final line-up after a straight-forward day of quarter-final results.
Local star and third seed Peng Shuai will fancy her chances of a maiden singles title against a remaining field of Israeli Shahar Peer, Japan’s Ayumi Morita and Italian Alberta Brianti.
Brianti eliminated Anastasija Sevastova, from Latvia, who defeated top-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues.
Twenty-two-year-old Peer boasts the best credentials of the semi-finalists as a former world No.15, but currently tracks 42 places lower in the rankings.
Peer, who thrashed Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Chan Yan 6-3 6-1 in the quarter-finals, won all three of her singles titles in her brilliant 2006 season.
But Peng will be confident of going one better this year after losing last year’s final to Russian Vera Zvonareva.
Peng takes on Peer in her semi-final and the pair have shared their two meetings to date – both in 2006.
I think Peng, who hits double-handed on both forehand and backhand, will add a second career victory over the Israeli.
Nineteen-year-old Morita is one of the best Japanese talents in many years and is a former world No.3 junior.
Morita has surged almost 50 places in the rankings in 2009 to No.69 despite failing to win a match at any of the four grand slams.
Brianti is also enjoying a breakthrough campaign – except hers is at the ripe old age of 29.
The world No.85 finished 2006 on the verge of the top 100 after a 189-spot improvement that year, but it wasn’t until this season that she really made her mark.
Brianti reached her first WTA Tour semi-final in Portoroz, where she lost to Russian world No.1 Dinara Safina, in July and a maiden final could be on its way here.
Expect hardened veteran Brianti to have too much experience for Morita, but the match could go to three sets.
Meanwhile, Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak is keeping hometown fans happy at the Bell Challenge in Quebec City.
Wozniak joins top seed Nadia Petrova, fifth seed Melinda Czink, Alla Kudryavtseva, wildcard Bethanie Mattek-Sands, fourth seed Lucie Safarova, eighth seed Julia Goerges and qualifier Lilia Osterloh in the final eight.
Petrova, Czink and Wozniak are all in the top half of the draw, while Safarova should have little trouble in the bottom half of the draw en route to her first final of the year.
The Davis Cup semi-finals begin tonight.
Read my blog from yesterday to see which countries I’m tipping to make December’s final.
Local star and third seed Peng Shuai will fancy her chances of a maiden singles title against a remaining field of Israeli Shahar Peer, Japan’s Ayumi Morita and Italian Alberta Brianti.
Brianti eliminated Anastasija Sevastova, from Latvia, who defeated top-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues.
Twenty-two-year-old Peer boasts the best credentials of the semi-finalists as a former world No.15, but currently tracks 42 places lower in the rankings.
Peer, who thrashed Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Chan Yan 6-3 6-1 in the quarter-finals, won all three of her singles titles in her brilliant 2006 season.
But Peng will be confident of going one better this year after losing last year’s final to Russian Vera Zvonareva.
Israeli Shahar Peer faces local hope Peng Shuai in the semi-finals of the Guangzhou International in China.
Peng takes on Peer in her semi-final and the pair have shared their two meetings to date – both in 2006.
I think Peng, who hits double-handed on both forehand and backhand, will add a second career victory over the Israeli.
Nineteen-year-old Morita is one of the best Japanese talents in many years and is a former world No.3 junior.
Morita has surged almost 50 places in the rankings in 2009 to No.69 despite failing to win a match at any of the four grand slams.
Brianti is also enjoying a breakthrough campaign – except hers is at the ripe old age of 29.
The world No.85 finished 2006 on the verge of the top 100 after a 189-spot improvement that year, but it wasn’t until this season that she really made her mark.
Brianti reached her first WTA Tour semi-final in Portoroz, where she lost to Russian world No.1 Dinara Safina, in July and a maiden final could be on its way here.
Expect hardened veteran Brianti to have too much experience for Morita, but the match could go to three sets.
Czech left-hander Lucie Safarova is on track to make her first final of 2009 in Quebec City.
Meanwhile, Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak is keeping hometown fans happy at the Bell Challenge in Quebec City.
Wozniak joins top seed Nadia Petrova, fifth seed Melinda Czink, Alla Kudryavtseva, wildcard Bethanie Mattek-Sands, fourth seed Lucie Safarova, eighth seed Julia Goerges and qualifier Lilia Osterloh in the final eight.
Petrova, Czink and Wozniak are all in the top half of the draw, while Safarova should have little trouble in the bottom half of the draw en route to her first final of the year.
The Davis Cup semi-finals begin tonight.
Read my blog from yesterday to see which countries I’m tipping to make December’s final.
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