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By Alberto Amalfi | Thursday, May 3, 2018

 
Shuai Zhang

Sixth-seeded Shuai Zhang zapped six aces sweeping Jasmine Paolini, 6-4, 6-3, to set up a semifinal showdown with second-seeded Petra Kvitova.

Photo credit: TK Sparta Praha / Pavel Lebeda (sport-pics.cz)

Photography is one of Shuai Zhang's hobbies.

The sixth-seeded Chinese continued her picture-perfect run in Prague today.

More: Serena Withdraws From Madrid

Zhang zapped six aces sweeping Italian lucky loser Jasmine Paolini, 6-4, 6-3, to set up a semifinal showdown vs. Petra Kvitova at the J&T Banka Prague Open.

It is Zhang's first semifinal since she won the Guangzhou championship last September.

The 31st-ranked Chinese has not permitted a set in three tournament victories. Zhang has won two of her last three matches vs. Kvitova.

In an all-Czech clash that opened play, Kvitova overpowered Katerina Siniakova, 6-3, 6-3, rolling into her third semifinal of the season.



The second-seeded Kvitova, who collected back-to-back titles in St. Petersburg and Doha earlier this year, is playing for her 23rd career title and first clay-court championship since she won the 2015 Madrid title.

The 2012 Roland Garros semifinalist has not dropped serve in her last two victories; Kvitova has permitted just 14 games en route to the final four.

A resurgent Camila Giorgi stopped Samantha Stosur, 6-2, 6-3, cruising into her first semifinal of the season.



Giorgi served 69 percent and was not broken in a one hour, 22-minute victory.

The 58th-ranked Italian has won seven of her last nine matches.

Next up for Giorgi is a semifinal vs. Mihaela Buzarnescu.

No. 7-seeded Buzarnescu beat hometown favorite Kristyna Pliskova, 6-2, 6-3.



"I was really positive and trying to stay calm because she's such a talented player and so powerful," Buzarnescu said. "I was trying to keep my serves and break her once, at least."

The left-handed Pliskova was 2017 runner-up to Mona Barthel and one of six Czechs in the field at the start of the week.

"I'm really happy about this result because it's been quite a few tough months," Buzarnescu said. "On this level, it's hard, so I haven't been playing too many matches. I'm happy I was able to win three matches in a row."


 

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