Pegula saves four MPs in Charleston to win epic against Azarenka

American Jessica Pegula, the top seed, edged out Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 12 seed, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7) to move into the semi-finals of the Charleston Open at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Friday evening.

The No 1 seed saved four match points en route to victory in the final set tiebreak, and took five match points to put away Azarenka, with the Belarusian saving four – including three consecutive – in the 10th game of the final set.

Pegula, ranked No 5, will play Russian Daria Kasatkina, the No 4 seed, next.

Earlier in the tournament, the American edged out Amanda Anisimova (3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)) and won against Pole Magda Linette (6-2, 6-2).

Azarenka, ranked No 26, defeated Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto (6-1, 6-2) and edged out American Taylor Townsend (6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4) in the previous rounds of the Charleston tournament.

Charleston WTA 500, other last 8 results (Family Circle Tennis Center, clay, USD 922.573, most recent results first):

• Veronika Kudermetova vs. Maria Sakkari
• Elise Mertens vs. Danielle Collins
• Daria Kasatkina beat Jaqueline Cristian: 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-3