Friday 17 October 2014 23:09, UK
Home hope Svetlana Kuznetsova was dumped out of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow after being beaten 6-4 7-5 by Lucie Safarova in the quarter-finals.
Safarova and Kuznetsova – seeded fourth and fifth respectively – were the highest-ranked players left in the tournament and it was the Czech who put herself in pole position to win her first WTA title of the year.
Two-time grand slam champion Kuznetsova went 4-1 up in the opening set but Safarova eventually took control of the hard-hitting contest.
After winning five games in a row to take the first set, Safarova broke her opponent again in the 11th game of the second before serving out the match.
"When we were walking on court I was remember when she beat me in Fed Cup here," Safarova told the WTA Tour’s official website.
"But there was a huge will for me to change that memory, and I think we played a really good match.
"I'm feeling good here. I really like playing indoors. I've played well in my first two matches here and I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I hope I can keep improving my play with every match here."
Safarova will face Irina-Camelia Begu in the last four after the Romanian came from a set down to defeat Tsvetana Pironkova 1-6 6-3 6-2.
Russia do have one player left in the tournament as sixth seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated compatriot Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1 3-6 6-3 to set up a semi-final with Katerina Siniakova, who beat Camila Giorgi 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 7-5.
