By Adrianna Outlaw | Friday, February 3, 2023

Bianca Andreescu is aiming to return to title land in Thailand.

The top-seeded Canadian is two wins from completing her journey.

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Andreescu soared through 11 of the first 12 games then fended off a fierce rally from Marta Kostyuk scoring a 6-0, 7-6(3) triumph to advance to the Thailand Open semifinals in Hua Hin.

Kostyuk cites her serve as her favorite shot and she hit it with ambition fighting off triple match point while serving at 3-5.

The fifth-seeded Ukrainian came all the way back from 0-6, 1-5 down to level the second set and force a tiebreaker.



Former world No. 4 Andreescu kept calm to seal her first semifinal spot since Bad Homburg last June.

"I think I played really well, especially in the first set," said Andreescu. "I don't think I played bad in the second set -- she just raised her level."



Continuing her hunt for her first title since she defeated Serena Williams to win the 2019 US Open, Andreescu advanced to her seventh career final.  Andreescu will face another Ukrainian, Lesia Tsurenko, in Saturday's semifinals.

Earlier, Tsurenko swept sixth-seeded Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-1.

World No. 136 Tsurenko, who owns four career titles, is playing for her first final since she was runner-up at the 2019 Brisbane.  It will be the first meeting between Andreescu and Tsurenko.



Seventh-seeded Xinyu Wang broke serve seven times topping Heather Watson 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4. Wang reached the semifinal to match her best career hard-court result that came with a final four run at the 2021 Prague.

In Saturday's all-Chinese semifinal, Wang will face compatriot Lin Zhu, who defeated Tamara Zidansek 6-2, 6-2. World No. 54 Zhu defeat Wang 6-3, 6-4 in their lone prior pro meeting at the 2019 US Open.