Mugaruza, Vinci march into Wuhan semi-finals, Venus ends Konta’s run

Garbine Muguruza of Spain in action against countrymate Anna Schmiedlova during their quarter-final clash at the Wuhan Open yesterday. (Left) Roberta Vinci of Italy celebrates her win Czech Karolina Pliskova. (AFP)

DPAWuhan, ChinaThe hot-handed Latin pair of Spain’s Garbi?e Muguruza and Roberta Vinci of Italy posted efficient straight-set sweeps to power into the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open yesterday. Fifth seed Mugaruza is closing in on a top-five ranking place after she dispatched fellow young gun Anna Schmiedlova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2. Vinci, the 15th-seeded US Open finalist, upset number eight Czech Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Schmiedlova went down in 72 minutes as Wimbledon finalist Mugaruza continued to regain her lost form after slumping in the wake of her biggest career success two months ago. Mugaruza is in the think in the fight for a qualifying place at the season-ending event in Singapore later this month, with five of the eight places still to be decided. The Spaniard fired 19 winners to just three for her opponent and converted on five of seven break chances. “It was a great match for me, I don’t play at this level every day.  It’s great to be playing like this,” said Mugaruza, whose rise to fifth could only be derailed if German Angelique Kerber wins the title. “I just want to keep playing like this,” said the WTA number eight.  “I want to keep focusing in every match and trying to play at this level. That way every time you leave the court, you’ll be happy with your effort. “That’s what I’m going for. Hopefully I can keep playing like this in the next match.” Vinci booked the first of the final four spots as she followed up her knockout of holder Petra Kvitova with the defeat of Pliskova. “I’m in the semi-finals... I’m so happy,” said the winner. “Today was another tough match. Karolina plays so good, and so flat, so for me it was difficult, especially at the beginning. “I served well and I’m really happy I’m in the semis here for the first time. It’s just really exciting for me.” Vinci won her 10th match since the start of the US Open, with her one defeat during the past month coming in the New York final to compatriot Flavia Pennetta. In a later match, American Venus Williams ended the giant-killing run of Briton Johanna Konta. Konta had accounted for world number two Simona Halep, 13th seed Andrea Petkovic and benefited from former world number one Victoria Azarenka retiring from their second-round clash but seven-times Grand Slam champion Williams proved too strong. The 24-year-old Sydney-born Konta, ranked 66th in the world, seemed on course for victory when she served for the match at 5-3 in the third set. The American, however, broke serve before reeling off the next three games to wrap up a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win. The 35-year-old former world number one’s reward for coming through the slug fest on the blue hardcourts of Wuhan is a clash with Italian Vinci. Vinci ended the calendar Grand Slam ambitions of Venus’ sister Serena Williams at the US Open semi-finals last month. Muguruza next plays either German sixth seed Angelique Kerber or American Coco Vandeweghe.  Miami prosecutors drop charges against TomicThe disturbance arrest charges of last July against Bernard Tomic have been laid to rest, with Australian media reporting yesterday that the case has been dropped by Miami prosecutors. “We knew all along the case wouldn’t hold up in court and the charges would be dropped. In the end, I was able to establish that Bernard did not break any laws and he didn’t do anything to deserve being arrested. Justice was served today,” Chad Piotrowski, Tomic’s American lawyer, said.The 21st-ranked Tomic was arrested last July near dawn at a beachside hotel after what officials said were complaints of loud partying and a confrontation between the ATP player and hotel security staff. He faced charges of resisting a police officer without violence, trespassing and refusing to leave his penthouse suite. He was released at the time and flew to Bogata where he won an ATP title the next week. “Through speaking to witnesses on scene and obtaining new evidence via subpoena from the W Hotel, I was able to determine that things didn’t necessarily happen the way they were reported by the Miami Beach Police Department. Mr Tomic should’ve never been arrested,” Piotrowski added.