Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka beat Victoria Azarenka, 6-2, 6-4 on Friday in a quarterfinal between players from Belarus at the National Bank Open.
Sabalenka, ranked No. 3, trailed 4-2 in the second set before winning four games in a row. She had seven aces in the 79-minute match.
“I’m really happy with this, it was a tough match,” Sabalenka said. ”(Azarenka) played really well. The second set was a little tricky. I’m really happy that I came back in the end of the set and won it actually.”
Azarenka was seeded eighth.
“I feel I just didn’t take my opportunities,” Azarenka said. ”It’s as simple as that.”
Sabalenka will face fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic min the semifinals. Pliskova beat Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-0.
In the night quarterfinals, Italy’s Camila Giorgi will face Coco Gauff of the U.S, and Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur will play American Jessica Pegula.
