BRISBANE, Jan 10: Naomi Osaka battled for two hours while Petra Kvitova cruised to victory on Friday as both players booked spots in the season-opening Brisbane International semifinals.
Osaka�s form slipped after the first set but the world number four eventually saw off sixth seed Kiki Bertens 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 at Pat Rafter Arena.
Bertens was on the attack in the second but lost control in the decider when she began to struggle with her first serve. It was a more straightforward affair for fifth seed Kvitova, who downed American qualifier Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-2.
Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion who won her first WTA title in Brisbane in 2011, was in superb touch against Brady, who beat Maria Sharapova and Ashleigh Barty in the first two rounds but was never in the hunt.
�I didn�t serve well at all the first game, but since then I served much, much better and that�s helped me a lot through this match today for sure,� Kvitova said.
�My body�s still not falling apart yet, so that�s good as well.� Osaka, who burst to stardom by winning consecutive Grand Slam crowns at the 2018 US Open and 2019 Australia Open, will next play either Karolina Pliskova or American Alison Riske. � AFP
