WTA wrap: Sharapova marches on to Tianjin semis

Two big stars in China will go head-to-head in the Tianjin semifinals on Saturday.

Local heroine and defending champion Peng Shuai will clash with Russian superstar Maria Sharapova – who is adored in China – for a place in the final after both crushed their quarterfinal opponents on Friday.

Sharapova brushed qualifier Stefanie Voegele aside 6-3 6-1 to win her third match on the trot in straight sets, while Peng routed Sara Sorribes Tormo for the loss of just one game.

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“Obviously she really likes playing here and is the defending champion, so she feels really good about the court and the atmosphere,” said Sharapova, who is playing in Tianjin for the first time, just her second International-level event in almost seven years.

“We haven’t played in a long time and I know that it will be a tough match, just because it’s the semifinals and when you get to the latter stages it’s not getting easier.

“She really likes playing here and is playing well, and I hope to rise to the occasion.”

In the other semifinal, Sara Errani – who like Sharapova is coming back from a doping ban – will face Aryna Sabalenka.

Linz: Bencic’s comeback ends in the quarters

Swiss Belinda Bencic fought tigerishly but ultimately went down to Romanian qualifier Mihaela Buzarnescu in the quarterfinals of the WTA indoor event in Linz.

Bencic saved five match points – three in the 10th game of the second set, from 0-40 down, and two more in the 12th game of the third, at 15-40 down – before succumbing in a final set tiebreak.

Buzarnescu’s 6-4 5-7 7-6(4) win sets up a semifinal with No.2 seed Barbora Strycova, who dropped just four games against seventh seed Tatjana Maria.

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“It was such a heartbreaking loss,” Bencic said.

“I really appreciate that though it’s hurting me, I played an amazing match. I was fighting until the end, until I couldn’t any more. It was unfortunate today, and probably not meant to be.”

It was Bencic’s first WTA event in six months after being sidelined due to left-wrist surgery.

In the top half of the draw, No.1 seed Magdalena Rybarikova overcame Sorana Cirstea 5-7 6-2 6-1 and will meet Viktorija Golubic – a straight-sets winner over Johanna Larsson – in the last four.

Hong Kong: Pavlyuchenkova, Gavrilova on track

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova was far too strong for Naomi Osaka on Friday, advancing to the semifinals of the WTA event in Hong Kong.

Seeded sixth, the Russian is the highest seed remaining in the draw and will meet Wang Qiang in the semifinals after her 6-3 6-3 win over Osaka.

Wang beat Australian Sam Stosur 7-5 6-2.

In the other half of the draw, seventh seed Daria Gavrilova needed three sets to see off fellow Aussie Lizette Cabrera and in the semis will meet Jennifer Brady, who won an all-American affair against Nicole Gibbs.

Gavrilova is seeking her fourth appearance in a WTA final, and third of 2017.