Kvitova marches into seventh semi-final of season

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova eased past Daniela Hantuchova, of Slovakia, 6-2, 6-2 to reach her seventh semi-final of the season at the Generali Ladies.

The top-seeded Kvitova will play former No.1 Jelena Jankovic for a place in Sunday’s final. The third-seeded Serb player defeated Russian qualifier Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 6-4. Kvitova, who won four events this season and is ranked a career-high fourth, played flawlessly to race into a 4-0 lead against Hantuchova before making a couple of mistakes and dropping her serve. The Czech player regained control immediately afterward.

“I have enjoyed every match so far here and I am starting to play really well,” Kvitova said. “That’s important with [the WTA Championships in] Istanbul and the Fed Cup [final] coming up.”

Jankovic went 1-2 down in the opening set against Rodino before winning seven straight games. Jankovic, still seeking her first title of the season, lost serve once in the second set but broke again at 4-4 and closed out the victory with a love game.

In other quarter-final, Dominika Cibulkova, of Slovakia, rallied to beat Anastasia Rodionova of Australia 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1 to reach her third WTA semifinal of the season.

The seventh-seeded Cibulkova was broken when serving for the opening set and lost it in the tie-breaker but was in control of the match afterward.

In the semi-finals, Cibulkova will play Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, who defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania 7-5, 6-2.