Barty sets up Qatar semi-final clash with Kvitova
Last updated on: 28 February,2020 07:52 am
Barty saw off Garbine Muguruza 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-2 in her quarter-final at the Qatar Open.
DOHA (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.
"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.