Semifinals at the 2020 Brisbane International are set, as Madison Keys, Petra Kvitova, Naomi Osaka and Karolina Pliskova won their quarterfinal matches on Friday.
Eighth seed Madison Keys dropped just four points on serve in the first set and two in the second to dispatch fellow American Danielle Collins 6-4 6-1 and for the first time make the semifinals in her first tournament of the season.
Fifth seed and 2011 Brisbane champion Petra Kvitova was tested in the first set, but faced no break points in the second set to win 6-4 6-2 and stop the spectacular run of American qualifier Jennifer Brady, who ousted Maria Sharapova and world No.1 Ashleigh Barty en route to the quarterfinals. The world No.53 Brady will make her Top 50 debut on Monday, rising to a career-high No.49.
In a match between two Top 10 players, third seed Naomi Osaka recorded the decisive service breaks late in the first and third sets to move into the Brisbane semifinals for the second straight year with a 6-3 3-6 6-3 over sixth seed Kiki Bertens. Osaka is now on a 14-match winning streak, as her last loss was at the US Open, while she’s lost just two completed matches since Wimbledon.
Second seed Karolina Pliskova completed the semifinal lineup with a 7-6(6) 6-3 victory over American Alison Riske. The Czech defending champion led 5-2 in the first set, but her opponent clawed back and earned a tiebreak in which she had two set points at 6-4. Pliskova saved them both and won the set when Riske double-faulted, continuing the momentum into the second set, as inconsistency again dogged Riske, who cracked the Top 20 in the second half of 2019.
Enjoy our photo gallery by Jimmie48!
MORE BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL 2020 PHOTOS:
- Thursday, January 9th: Barty upset, Osaka & Pliskova advance to quarterfinals
- Wednesday, January 8th: Riske, Collins, Keys reach the quarterfinals on the perfect day for Americans
- Tuesday, January 7th: Brady battles past Sharapova, Stephens & Vekic knocked out
- Monday, January 6th: Stosur, Collins, Strycova upset Top 20 players
- Sunday, January 5th: WTA players bring cheerful smiles to the All-Access Hour
- Saturday, January 4th: First round of qualifying begins, top players continue warm-up
- Friday, January 3rd: New coaching partnerships take the courts
- Thursday, January 2nd: Osaka arrives by helicopter; Barty, Sharapova, Vekic grind on practice courts
