Sousa sails on as Becker prevails over Pospisil

20 June 2014 09:04

Qualifier Joao Sousa reached the 's-Hertogenbosch Open semi-finals on Thursday as the Portuguese world number 48 brushed aside Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker 6-4, 6-2 at the combined ATP/WTA event.

Sousa has benefited from the withdrawal of world number seven and 2012 David Ferrer, his scheduled first round opponent who pulled out with a stomach virus on the eve the tournament.

He will now face Germany's Benjamin Becker, who came back from a set down to defeat Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in a fiercely-contested match that was briefly interrupted by rain.

In the women's draw, Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova advanced to the last four with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Germany's Annika Beck.

Beck, who knocked out defending champion and world number four Simona Halep of Romania, came up short against the world number 39 who is chasing a fifth WTA title.

China's Zheng Jie awaits in the semi-finals after she crushed Ukraine's Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-0.

And eighth seed Klara Zakopalova advanced easily by defeating Kazakhstan's Yaroslava Shvedova 6-2, 6-4.

She will take on American Coco Vandeweghe, who won a tense first set tie-break before prevailing 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 over Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.

Source: AFP