Two more seeds fall in Dubai quarter-finals

Dubai: Two more seeds fell by the wayside as Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza fought their way into the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on Thursday.

Pliskova, the No. 17 seed, improved her career record over fellow Czech Lucie Safarova to 2-1 with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1 win over the 11th seed. Then the fast-improving Muguruza tamed No. 13 seed and Spanish compatriot Carla Suarez-Navarro 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3.

Pliskova, who also defeated her Fed Cup teammate in last week’s Antwerp Open quarter-finals, took her time to settle on a warm, humid afternoon. But, once she found her rhythm, there was no stopping her as she eased past Safarova in two hours and 26 minutes.

“That was close. In the beginning of the match I had a few break points and a few close games. It could have been 4-2 for me but it was 4-2 for her [Safarova]. That’s why I lost the set. I was a little bit mentally down,” Pliskova said.

But a visit from coach Jiri Vanek during the second set changed her thinking and she started to take the ascendency.

“He said a few things that really helped me and I got the break immediately after that game. That’s probably the main reason why I won the second set, and then why I won the third set as well,” she said.

The day’s second quarter-final also went the distance, with Muguruza making her Dubai debut count as she came through in three sets against her doubles parter Suarez Navarro.

Muguruza showed her fighting qualities in the opener as she pulled back from two breaks down to push the set into a tie-break, which was eventually clinched by Suarez-Navarro.

After claiming the second set 6-3, Muguruza broke in the fourth game of the decider for 3-1. But she then failed to hold in the very next game, before the 21-year-old did well to break Suarez Navarro again and lead 4-2.

However, the fighter that she is, Suarez Navarro refused to give up as she broke back, but a crucial double fault on serve wiped out her efforts as Muguruza went clear 5-3. She then served out set and match 6-3 in two hours and 19 minutes.

“It is even more difficult to play against someone you know so well,” Muguruza said.

The Spaniard hoped to be at her best for Friday’s semi-final against Pliskova.

“She [Pliskova] has been playing well of late and I hope I can keep my calm and take the next step,” Muguruza said.