Top seed Yulia Putintseva reached the semi-finals of the Hungarian Grand Prix on Friday. The Kazakh came from a set down to defeat Kateryna Kozlova 6-7(4), 6-0, 7-5 in two hours and 37 minutes. In the opening set, both players exchanged two breaks of serve each before its outcome was decided in the tie-break which the Ukrainian claimed to take a lead in the match.
Putintseva came back into the match with a forceful performance in the second set. She faced no break points and broke Kozlova thrice to take the set and push the match into the decider. The set once again oscillated between the two players as they exchanged a service break each but Putintseva steadied it as she broke Kozlova for the second time to clinch the win.
Putintseva won 103 points to Kozlova’s 85 points in the match. Putintseva will next play Dalma Galfi for a place in the final.
Hungarian Grand Prix: Danielle Collins advances in straight sets
Galfi posted another milestone for herself this week by making it to her first WTA semi-final.
The 22-year-old wildcard defeated Olga Danilovic 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 37 minutes in their last-eight clash. Galfi won five break points and saved three of the five break points she faced. The youngster ended up winning 16 more points than the Serbian’s 60 in the match.
Galfi’s compatriot, Panna Udvardy, however, missed out on joining her in the semis. Anhelina Kalinina ousted the 22-year-old 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 54 minutes. Kalinina broke Udvardy’s serve four times in the course of the match while getting broken twice.
The Ukrainian won 78 points to Udvardy’s 68 in the match. Second seed Danielle Collins completed the semi-final field at the Hungarian Grand Prix and will play Kalinina next. The American ended Paula Ormaechea’s run this week in Budapest with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over the Argentinian in their quarter-final.