Two-time major winner Kuznetsova beat Swiss fourth seed Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-4 while ninth-seeded Sabalenka came from behind to knock out China-s Zheng Saisai 3-6, 7-6 7/2, 6-3.
Ashleigh Barty. Pic/AFP
World number one and Australian Open champion Ashleigh Barty set up a ninth career meeting with two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova at the Qatar Open on Thursday. Barty saw off Spain-s Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-7 4/7, 6-2 in her quarter-final in windy and chilly conditions in Doha.
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"I felt like I started exceptionally well and I was able to get the ball kind of in my areas a lot more," said the Australian top seed. "Then in the second set Garbine was able to shift her court position and take a few more risks, put me on the back foot. It was frustrating, I felt like I wasn-t doing a lot wrong but I wasn-t making the most of my opportunities and wasn-t getting opportunities.
"So I was happy to be able to start the third set well." Barty has won her last three meetings with Kvitova, including the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last month. Kvitova, the 2018 Qatar champion, trailed Tunisia-s Ons Jabeur by a break in the second set and saved two set points before securing a gruelling 7-6 7/2, 7-6 7/4 win after one hour and 44 minutes. "I-m glad how I was able to manage those tie-breaks for sure," said the Czech left-hander.
"So I-m really glad that I improved something. It was difficult with the crowd as well, with the wind, different conditions today, for sure. So I-m really glad that with very talented player as she is, with the great touch, I was able to play a good game." In the other semi-final, evergreen Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova will face Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Two-time major winner Kuznetsova beat Swiss fourth seed Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-4 while ninth-seeded Sabalenka came from behind to knock out China-s Zheng Saisai 3-6, 7-6 7/2, 6-3.
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