Defending champ Jovanovski advances to Tashkent Open semis
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- Top seed Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia moved her Tashkent Open title defense into the semifinals with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Urszula Radwanska of Poland on Thursday.
Jovanovski has gone to three sets in all three of her matches. On Friday, she will meet first-time WTA semifinalist Nigina Abduraimova.
Abduraimova beat Akgul Amanmuradova 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinal matchup of local wild cards, ensuring a home player in the last four for the first time since the inaugural event in 2009.
Ukraine qualifier Lesia Tsurenko, a winner of one main draw match on tour this year, reached her second career semi when she ousted 2011 champion Ksenia Pervak of Russia 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. Tsurenko will face third-seeded Karin Knapp of Italy, who was in sight of her first final in six years after beating Olga Govortsova of Belarus 7-5, 6-2.
