MINSK, 13 May (BelTA) – Belarus' world number 8 Aryna Sabalenka reached the Italian Open semifinal defeated U.S. world number 32 Amanda Anisimova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in an hour and 50 minutes, BelTA has learned.
Amanda Anisimova beat Aryna Sabalenka, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, in the opener in Madrid in late April. The Belarusian will face Poland's world number one Iga Swiatek or Canada's world number 90 Bianca Andreescu for the spot in the Italian Open final. Aryna Sabalenka needed 50 minutes to see off China's world number 42 Zhang Shuai, 6-2, 6-0, in the opener and powed past world number 11 Jessica Pegula of the United States, 6-1, 6-4, in the second round.
Belarus' world number 16 Victoria Azarenka lost to Poland's world number one Iga Swiatek, 4-6, 1-6, in the Italian Open round of Last 16. Belarus' world number 50 Aliaksandra Sasnovich lost to Spain's world number 3 Paula Badosa, 2-6, 1-6, in the second round.
The tournament in the Italian capital will complete on 15 May. Next, the world's best tennis players will travel to Paris where Roland Garros will kick off on 22 May.
