Teenage Czech qualifier Noskova saves match point (again) to beat Azarenka in Adelaide; plays Jabeur in semi-finals

Czech teenager Linda Noskova saved a match point for the second time this week as she edged out Victoria Azarenka in a high-quality clash on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Adelaide International 1 event.

The 18-year-old qualifier, ranked No 102, saved the match point at 5-6 in the final set and then won the deciding tiebreak 8-6 to claim a 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) over the former world No 1.

Between them, the two players hit 90 winners with Azarenka actually winning more points – 123-121 – but it was Noskova, who reached her first WTA Tour semi-final in Prague last year, who won the crucial final point to advance to a meeting with top seed Ons Jabeur.

It was the second time this week that Noskova has saved match point, having done it in her first match in the qualifying event, beating Anna Kalinskaya in a deciding-set tiebreak.

Tunisian Jabeur saw off Ukrainian qualifier Marta Kostyuk in another tight match, winning it 7-6 (5), 7-5 to advance to the last four.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka will play Camelia Begu in the second semi-final after winning their respective matches in straight sets.

Adelaide International 1 quarter-final results:
Ons Jabeur (1) beat Marta Kostyuk 7-6 (5), 7-5
Linda Noskova beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6)
Irina Camelia Begu beat Veronika Kudermetova (4) 7-5, 6-4
Aryna Sabalenka (2) beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-3, 7-5

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