Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens reach WTA Linz semi-finals

ByEurosport

Updated 14/11/2020 at 00:52 GMT

Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens, the top two seeds at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz, remain on course for a meeting in the final after overcoming Oceane Dodin and Veronika Kudermetova in their respective semi-finals. The tournament is the last WTA action of 2020, with the Covid-19 pandemic cancelling the WTA Finals and WTA Elite Trophy.

Aryna Sabalenka

Image credit: Getty Images

First and second seeds Aryna Sabalenka and Elise Mertens have reached the semi-finals of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz and remain on a collision course for the final.

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Sabalenka progresses after seeing off Oceane Dodin in straight sets, with the Frenchwoman being forced to retire midway through the first set.

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It was Dodin who struck first in the opening set, but Sabalenka got back on terms at the first opportunity, breaking back after a lengthy game. The Belarusian eventually ran out a 6-3 winner in the first set after moving ahead in the penultimate game.

The second set was locked at 3-3 when Dodin was forced to retire.

The top seed faces Barbora Krejcikova, who defeated Sabalenka's compatriot Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 6-1.

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In the other half of the draw, Elise Mertens made light work of Veronika Kudermetova, the fifth seed, to reach the last four.

It was the Czech who made the stronger start, racing into a 3-0 lead, but her Belgian opponent soon rattled off five straight games and won the first set 6-4.

The second set was far more straightforward, with Mertens running out a 6-1 winner, converting her third match point.