Watson continues unexpected run to reach semi-finals in Tianjin
All four semi-finalists in the Tianjin Open are unseeded after Magda Linette, Yulia Putintseva and Dayana Yastremska crashed out.
Heather Watson continued her surprise run at the Tianjin Open by beating Magda Linette to reach the semi-finals after saving four match points on Friday.
The Brit had not won a hard-court match on the WTA Tour for over a year before this week, but is two wins away from being crowned champion after a 7-5 6-7 (4-7) 7-6 (8-6) victory over the eighth seed.
World number 125 Watson was taken the distance after seeing a match point come and go in the second set and forced a tie-break after Linette had four chances to wrap up the quarter-final.
The unseeded Watson eventually prevailed by securing a ninth mini-break in the final set and will face Veronika Kudermetova in the last four.
Russian Kudermetova toppled third seed Dayana Yastremska 6-4 6-0 in a battle of heavy hitters.
There will be no seeds in the semi-finals after Ons Jabeur defeated Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-4).
Jabeur will come up against Rebecca Peterson with a place in the final at stake following the Swede’s 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-2 success against home hope Wang Yafan.
.@Ons_Jabeur takes the second set tiebreak to seal victory!
Defeating Putintseva 7-6(5), 7-6(4) to book a place in the @TianjinOpen semifinal! pic.twitter.com/7AKLfZw5yz
— WTA (@WTA) October 11, 2019
