Google News WTA TOKYO- Shuai Zhang, Jana Cepelova, Katerina Siniakova and Christina McHale reach semifinals
by TALAL DAR
Tennis- Sixth seed Shuai Zhang, seventh seed Christina McHale, Slovakia's Jana Cepelova and Czech Republic's Katerina Siniakova reached the semifinals of the WTA Japan Women's Open tournament. Highest ranked player left in the draw, sixth seed Shuai Zhang took on USA's Varvara Lepchenko, who she had beaten in straight sets on her way to reaching the Australian Open Quarterfinals earlier this year.
But Lepchenkova had won in 3 sets when they met in Eastbourne two years back. This time Lepchenkova took the first set 7-6(4) in tie-break but then Zhang made an impressive comeback and won next two sets 6-1, 6-3 to set up a semifinals clash with Katerina Siniakova, who won in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 against Alison Riske.
Christina McHale is the only American left in the tournament, as she needed 3 sets to beat Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 and will face Slovakia's Jana Cepelova, who came back from one set down to beat last Japanese left in the draw, Kurumi Nara 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
FULL RESULTS ON NEXT PAGE Also Read: WTA TOKYO- Third seed Putintseva stunned, Zhang and McHale reach Quarterfinals