Rogers Cup: Wozniacki beats world number one Pliskova to advance to Rogers Cup semi-finals
Caroline Wozniacki and Sloane Stephens advanced to the WTA Rogers Cup semi-finals, before rain stopped play in Toronto on Friday.
After three rain delays and almost three hours on court, Wozniacki eventually defeated world number one Karolina Pliskova 7-5 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.
Stephens became a WTA Premier semi-finalist for the first time, saving three match points and winning the last three games to overcome Lucie Safarova 6-2 1-6 7-5.
Garbine Muguruza managed to take the first set 6-4 over Elina Svitolina, but poor weather meant they could not finish the match.
Meanwhile, Carolina Garcia and Simona Halep failed to even step foot on court.
Prior to Friday’s win, Wozniacki was 0-6 in matches against the world’s top-ranked player, having lost five times to Serena Williams and once to Dinara Safina.
32 SHOT RALLY!
Take a bow, @KaPliskova and @CaroWozniacki ! #RogersCup pic.twitter.com/dHtqBtN1Z9
— WTA (@WTA) August 12, 2017
Following a delayed start, Pliskova raced out to a 5-1 lead in the opening set but the Danish sixth seed managed to extend the points and dig in, winning the final six games to snatch the set.
The second set somehow remained on serve, with the Czech first seed saving four break points in the fifth game.
Wozniacki found her rhythm and managed to continually apply pressure, winning 81 per cent of points on her first serve in the second. She won 73 per cent of points on her first serve in total.
Pliskova still managed to secure a break in the fifth game of the deciding set, but Wozniacki scrapped to deny a double-break, holding from 30-30 in the seventh. The Dane then broke back in the eighth before she ran off the last four games of the match.
Stephens won in similarly dramatic fashion, leading at 3-1 in the third set before having to save three match points against Safarova.
An incredible forehand down the line by @SloaneStephens !
She’s up 4-3 in the final set! #rogerscup pic.twitter.com/8iOzF8TFYu
— WTA (@WTA) August 11, 2017
In only her third tournament of the year, the American world number 934 continued her impressive run in Toronto, after victories over Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova.
Stephens is making up for lost time on the court at the Rogers Cup, though, with her four matches this week taking nearly eight hours in total.
Wozniacki and Stephens will face each other, but will need to wait until the other semi is finalised.
