Thailand Open: Swiss youngster continues run to semis as top four seeds all out in Hua Hin
A STUNNING day of results has seen the remaining top four seeds ousted to blow the Thailand Open draw wide open. Number one seed and tournament favourite, Elina Svitolina was bundled out, as was third seed Wang Qiang and Chinese compatriot fourth seed, Zheng Saisai.
While Svitolina’s exit might be a headline story, it was the work of Swiss teenager, Leonie Kung who defeated Qiang in three sets, 7-5 4-6 6-4. Qiang was remembered this year as the 28-year-old who defeated Serena Williams at the Australian Open, but yesterday cam undone at the hands of the relatively inexperienced 19-year-old talent. Kung is ranked 283rd in the world and is yet to win a singles title. Already her semi-finals appearance here in Hua Hin has seen her bolt up to 180th in the world, with a top 128 spot on offer if she can find a way to win another two matches coming all the way from qualifying. Kung saved seven of a possible 13 break points, while breaking seven times herself, winning a superior 56.4 per cent off her second serve and really applying the pressure to her highly rated opponent, She attacked Qiang’s second serve with a 47.4 per cent success rate, and while the match took two hours and 17 minutes, the Swiss youngster booked a spot in the next round.
Kung will now take on Japan’s eighth seed, Nao Hibino who stunned top five player and number one seed, Svitolina in straight sets. She won 6-4 6-2 to advance through to the last four as the only Asian player to reach the next round. It was a quirk in the quarter finals with a European player facing off against an Asian player in each of the final eight matches. In the other semi-final, Patricia Tig will take on fifth seed from Polan, Magna Linette. Tig bundled out fourth seed Saisai 6-4 6-2, while Linette took three sets to win over Xiyu, 2-6 6-3 6-3.
QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:
[8] Nao Hibino (JPN) defeated [1] Elina Svitolina (UKR) 6-4 6-2
[Q] Leonie Kung (SUI) defeated [3] Wang Qiang (CHN) 7-5 4-6 6-4
Patricia Tig (ROU) defeated [4] Zheng Saisai (CHN) 6-4 6-2
[5] Magna Linete (POL) defeated Wang Xiyu (CHN) 2-6 6-3 6-3
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