Ostapenko marches into Adelaide semifinals, beats Kostyuk

Former world number five Jelena Ostapenko continued to build momentum ahead of the Australian Open by reaching the Adelaide International semifinals with a 7 5 6 3 victory over Marta Kostyuk on Thursday. The 12th ranked Latvian made her Grand Slam breakthrough by winning the 2017 French Open title and is starting to rediscover her top form for the January 14 28 Australian Open, where she will begin her campaign against local hope Kimberley Birrell.

Brisbane quarter finalist Ostapenko edged an intense opening set against Ukrainian Kostyuk and raised her level again in the next after dropping serve, as she broke to go ahead 3 1. There was no looking back from there as Ostapenko settled the contest in style to reach the last four, where the 26 year old faces the winner of the clash between Elena Rybakina and Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova later takes on second seed Jessica Pegula in the other quarterfinal of the warm up event. Russia’s Daria Kasatkina is already through after receiving a walkover from Laura Siegemund. In the men’s draw, 2023 Australian Open quarter finalist Sebastian Korda progressed with a comfortable 6 4 6 4 win over local favourite Christopher O’Connell.

At the Auckland Classic, top seed Ben Shelton advanced to the semifinals with a 6 4, 6 3 victory over Roberto Carballes Baena and will next take on Taro Daniel who beat Alexandre Muller 6 4 6 7(3) 6 3. Briton Cameron Norrie pulled out of his clash with Alejandro Tabilo after the second seed sustained a wrist injury.

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