Kvitova, Bouchard and Wozniacki All Book Semifinal Spots in Wuhan

Third-seeded Petra Kvitova followed up her win over fellow Czech Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over another rising star in Caroline Garcia. Kvitova, after battling it out for three-sets versus Pliskova, needed just one hour and 21 minutes to wrap up the straight set win and move into the Wuhan Open semifinals.

Kvitova was extremely efficient against Garcia. She held serve in all 10 games, and hit 23 winners to Garcia’s 13. A break point in each of the two sets allowed her to serve out each frame as she moved into the final four of the inaugural event.

“You always have to be prepared for a fight. I knew that she can play really well, and that she can serve well and play very aggressively from the baseline, so I knew that I had to be ready for her,” said Kvitova. “It was quite humid and hot today, and I was really sweating a lot, but the court feels faster, which is something that probably suits my game a lot. And I’m serving well, so that’s helpful too.”

A title in Wuhan would secure a spot for the third-ranked player in the world in the WTA Finals in Singapore at the end of the year. She would become the fourth player to do so, as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep have already punched their tickets to the WTA’s crown jewel event.

Needing two wins to clinch a spot in the WTA finals, Kvitova will first take on unseeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina in the semis. The 20-year old took out seventh-seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-6(3).

The other semifinal match will be between eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki and sixth-seeded Eugenie Bouchard.

Wozniacki battled back from a set down to upend Swiss qualifier Timea Bacsinszky, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. She took advantage of four Bacsinszky double-faults, and notched four break points to escape the tight three-setter.

Bouchard rolled past Alize Cornet 6-3, 7-5 as she capitalized on six of seven break point opportunities. The young Canadian could qualify for the WTA Finals in Singapore if she wins the Wuhan title.