Ashleigh Barty is on the right course to win the Nature Valley Classic in Birmingham after she secured a quarterfinals win against Venus Williams. Barty is set on her course to become the current world rank no. 1.
Barty, the winner of this year’s French Open defeated the former world rank no. 1 and 5-time champion of Wimbledon; Venus Williams by 6-4 and 6-3.
Barty has won her last 10 matches in a row and if she reached the finals of the grass court torment and wins the title, she will replace the current world no. 1 Naomi Osaka for the top ranking.
Up next, the 23 years old Barty will play against Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic in their semi-finals match.
Strycova made it to the semis after defeating her fellow countrywoman Kristyna Pliskova by 6-2 and 6-4. Kristyna Pliskova is the sister of the current world rank no. 3 Karolina Pliskova.
In other matches of the day, Petra Martic secured herself a win against the winner of 2017 French open; Jelena Ostapenko by 6-7, 7-5, and 6-1.
The world rank no. 25 Ostapenko will now play against Julia Gorges for the semis who defeated Yulia Putintseva by 6-3 and 6-2 to set this meeting.
Somewhere else at Mallorca Open, Belinda Bencic managed to reach the 5th semi-finals of her season after defeating the semi-finalist of this year’s French open Amanda Anisimova.
Next, Bencic is going to face either Angelique Kerber; the 3-time Grand Slam champion or the last week Nottingham Open winner Caroline Garcia.
As for American Sofia Kenin, she was down a set before securing a comeback victory against Elise Mertens to win by 1-6, 6-1 and 6-3. 20 years old Kenin, who won her first tour-level title back in January at Hobart Open.
She is going to meet Anastasija Sevastova next in the semis who defeated Wan Yfang by 6-2 and 6-1.
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