Top-seeded Jessica Pegula cruised into the semifinals of the Adelaide International after Ashlyn Krueger was forced to retire due to a right thigh injury on Thursday in Australia.
Pegula was ahead 6-4, 2-0 when Krueger called for the trainer. Krueger opted to call it a day, ending the match after 49 minutes.
Pegula advances to face Russian-born Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva, who posted a marathon 7-6 (3), 6-7 (9), 6-4 win over sixth-seeded Russian Diana Shnaider. Putintseva won 74.5 percent of her first serves and took advantage of five double faults to secure the match in 3 hours, 14 minutes.
Also on Thursday, Madison Keys cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 win over third-seeded Russian Daria Kasatkina in 57 minutes. She will face Russian Liudmila Samsonova, who notched a 6-4, 6-4 upset of No. 2 seed Emma Navarro.
Hobart International
McCartney Kessler recorded three aces in a 7-5, 6-4 win over top-seeded Dayana Yastremska of the Ukraine in their quarterfinal match in Australia.
Kessler benefited from 11 double faults to dispatch Yastremska in 94 minutes. She will take on No. 6 Elina Avanesyan, who received a walkover victory against third-seeded Amanda Anisimova (illness).
No. 2 seed Elise Mertens of Belgium pulled out a 6-1, 0-6, 6-2 win over Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova. Up next is Australian wild card Maya Joint, who breezed to a 6-3, 6-1 win over Sofia Kenin in 62 minutes.
