By Chris Oddo | Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Belinda Bencic notched a big win to reach the Sydney semis. Simona Halep also prevailed.
Photo Source: Matt Roberts/Getty Asia Pacific
Despite struggling with off and on pain in her left lower leg this week all season, Simona Halep managed to take down Karolina Pliskova for the third time in three meetings on Wednesday at the Apia International Sydney.
More: Hobbled Halep Playing Through Pain in Australia
Halep, who pulled out of last week’s event in Brisbane, improves to 2-0 on the season with the 6-4, 7-5 victory over the fifth seed. Her victory sets up a semifinal clash with two-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova. The 30-year-old Russian pushed past Sara Errani in straight sets, reeling off 12 of the final 13 games to book her place in her first semifinal of the season.
The lower half of the draw will feature Swiss sensation Belinda Bencic and surprising Monica Puig in the semifinals. Bencic has bounced back from an upset at the hands of American Samanantha Crawford last week to reach the semifinals and improve her record to 4-1 on the season.
The 8th-seed was pushed hard by Russia's Ekaterina Makarova, a former world No. 8 who comes in at 23 after suffering from a leg injury for much of last season. Bencic needed to save 11 of 14 break points, including three of four in a tight third set before claiming victory.
"We were very even with the level in the third set so it was a close match," Bencic said in her post-match press conference, according to WTATennis.com. "Then it was about who gets more nervous and stays more mentally tough. So, I'm happy I won."
Qualifier Puig will be Bencic’s opponent in Sydney on Thursday. The 22-year-old reached her first semifinal since last February with a 6-4, 6-4 takedown of hometown favorite Sam Stosur.
It was Puig’s first win over Stosur in three tries. The Puerto Rican has never met Bencic before.
Halep and Kuznetsova have played five times with the Romanian taking three victories.