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Tokyo - Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska defeated Rio
Olympics gold medallist Monica Puig on Friday to set up a semi-final showdown
with Caroline Wozniacki at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.
Second-seeded Radwanska, of Poland, smashed eight aces in
overpowering the Puerto Rican 6-2 6-3.
"In this level of match you have to play well to win by
that kind of score," said Radwanska, who also won this tournament in 2011.
"I knew Monica was in great form, winning the gold, but
you just have to go on court and play your game. I was serving great today and
that helped me a lot."
Wozniacki appears back near her best after a succession of
ankle, knee and bicep injuries; reaching the US Open semi-finals and
continuing that form here.
She beat Polish qualifier Magda Linette 6-4, 6-3. Wozniacki
won 79 per cent of points on her first serve, including 90 per cent in the
first set.
She holds an 8-4 head-to-head advantage against Radwanska.
"With Caroline, we've played so many matches everywhere
on every surface, it's always a great challenge against her," Radwanska
said. "For me she's still a top-10 player, even though her ranking dropped
a bit. Hopefully I can serve just as well against her tomorrow."
Friday's other quarter-finals see Belarussian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich tackle Japanese wild card Naomi Osaka, while top-seeded Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, faces eighth-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, of Russia.
