Garbine Muguruza of Spain returns a shot to Caroline Garcia of France during their quarter-final match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) - Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza advanced to the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open by beating Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-4 Friday.
A rare double-fault by the top-seeded Muguruza allowed Garcia to pull even at 3-3 in the second set, but the Spaniard broke back in the next game.
Playing in her first tournament since earning the No. 1 ranking, Muguruza will next face Caroline Wozniacki. The former top-ranked Dane advanced when Dominika Cibulkova was forced to retire with a right thigh injury while trailing 3-6, 7-6 (5), 3-1.
Also, Angelique Kerber upset second-seeded Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (5), 7-5. The seventh-seeded Kerber took advantage of several unforced errors by the Czech player and won with a powerful cross-court shot on her fifth match point.
Kerber will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the semifinals. The Russian beat Barbora Strycova 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Garbine Muguruza of Spain returns a shot to Caroline Garcia of France during their quarter-final match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The Associated Press
Angelique Kerber of Germany returns a shot to Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during their quarterfinal match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The Associated Press
Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic returns a shot to Angelique Kerber of Germany during their quarterfinal match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The Associated Press
Angelique Kerber of Germany returns a shot to Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during their quarter-final match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The Associated Press
Caroline Garcia of France returns a shot to Garbine Muguruza of Spain during their quarter-final match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Friday, Sept. 22, 2017. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
The Associated Press