Romanian tennis player Irina Begu qualified, on Friday, in the semifinals of the WTA 250 tournament in Palermo (Italy), endowed with total prizes worth 232,244 euros, after passing the American Ann Li 6-3, 6-4 .
Irina Begu (33 years old, 142 WTA), the 2022 champion, won after one hour and 45 minutes, according to agerpres.ro.
The Romanian thus got her revenge against the American Ann Li (24 years old, 127 WTA), who defeated her 7-5, 7-5 in 2021, in Tenerife, in the quarters.
Begu, who secured a check for 10,100 euros and 98 WTA points, will play in the penultimate act against Czech Karolina Muchova (27 years old, 35 WTA), the second favorite, victorious over Australian Astra Sharma 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (8/6).
Irina Begu is 2-1 in direct matches with Muchova, whom she defeated in the second round at Roland Garros with 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, in 2019, and in the second round in Madrid, in 2023, by 6-4, 7-5. Muchova prevailed in 2023 in the third round at Roland Garros, 6-3, 6-2.
Jaqueline Cristian (26 years old, 66th WTA), seeded number 7, was defeated in the quarters by the Chinese Qinwen Zheng (21 years old, 7th WTA), the main favorite, 6-1, 6-1, in 72 minutes.
The Romanian athlete has emerged victorious in both direct matches so far, 6-3, 6-2, in Rome (ITF), in the first round, in May 2019, and 6-1, 6-4, in Palermo, in the round of 16 , in 2021.
Jaqueline Cristian won a check for 5,750 euros and 54 WTA points.
Zheng will play in the semifinals against the French Diane Parry, the fourth favorite, who beat her compatriot Chloe Paquet 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
Comentează