Taiwan’s Latisha Chan yesterday kept her bid for a first title of the season on track as she battled into the semi-finals of the doubles at the Brisbane International, while Elina Svitolina advanced to the semi-finals of the singles when Johanna Konta retired with a hip problem in the third set of their quarter-final.
Top seeds Chan, who previously played on the WTA Tour using her Chinese name Chan Yung-jan, and Czech partner Andrea Sestini Hlavackova took 1 hour, 43 minutes to see of the challenge of Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine and Anastasia Rodionova of Australia 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/2).
The world No. 1 and world No. 5 saved five of nine break points and converted four of eight, winning 80 of the 156 points contested to advance to a tough looking semi-final against fourth seeds Andreja Klepac of Slovenia and Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
Photo: EPA-EFE
In the singles, Konta became the latest casualty ahead of the Australian Open.
Konta called for treatment to her right hip at the beginning of the third set of her quarter-final, but decided she could not continue and handed Svitolina the match 1-6, 7-6 (8/6), 3-2.
She is due to defend her Sydney International title next week ahead of the Australian Open, but said she was unsure whether she would risk further damage before the year’s first Grand Slam.
“I need to wait until tomorrow morning [before deciding],” Konta said. “I don’t feel comfortable going on gut feeling, especially to do with stuff like this.”
Aliaksandra Sasnovich had a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 over Alize Cornet to extend her winning streak to six matches, including qualifying.
In the other quarter-finals, Latvian seventh seed Anastasija Sevastova defeated Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic 6-2, 6-4, while Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova battled back from a set down to beat Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.
In the men’s singles, former world No. 1 Andy Murray withdrew before his second-round match against Ryan Harrison.
Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin defeated the US’ Jared Donaldson 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 to set up a quarter-final against Harrison, who defeated Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2.
Britain’s Kyle Edmund also advanced to the quarter-finals after battling to a 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 6-4 victory over South Korea’s Chung Hyeon.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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