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Kvitova outguns off-colour Wozniacki

Petra Kvitova booked her place in the WTA Championships semi-finals © PA Photos

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Petra Kvitova booked her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Championships in Turkey with a commanding win over an out-of-sorts Caroline Wozniacki.

Wozniacki may have already secured the year-end world No. 1 ranking, but she was second best to Kvitova, who powered to a 6-4 6-2 victory to make it two wins from two in Istanbul.

The Wimbledon champion burst out of the blocks, punishing Wozniacki for a tentative start to grab an early break. A love service game from Wozniacki followed, but an ace from Kvitova closed out a second service game for the Czech.

Kvitova struggled in the aftermath of her victory at the All England Club, but victory in Linz has seen her regain form, and she oozed confidence as she battered her opponent with a torrent of bruising winners.

Wozniacki showed her fighting qualities to keep the set alive, but it merely delayed the inevitable as Kvitova sealed the opening set with a brutal winner.

Wozniacki received treatment from the doctor after complaining of feeling unwell, and she looked devoid of energy and ideas as Kvitova began the second set in the same vein as the opener, grabbing an early break before powering to a 4-0 lead.

Wozniacki stemmed the flood to hold in the fifth game and made Kvitova work hard for her win as she saved three match points, but on her debut in Istanbul, the world No. 3 closed out the victory to book her place in the last four.

Wozniacki faced a nervous wait to see if she would reach the last four, but her hopes were dashed when Agnieszka Radwanska came from behind to beat Vera Zvonareva in a three-set thriller.

Agnieszka Radwanska refused to be beaten by Vera Zvonareva © PA Photos

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Radwanska looked to be thoroughly beaten after Zvonareva cruised through the opening set, but the Pole capitalised on a lack of concentration from Zvonareva to level proceedings. In a topsy-turvy final set, Radwanska grabbed an early break, only for Zvonareva to regain her focus and turn things around.

But just as Zvonareva looked to be firmly on course for victory, Radwanska showed incredible tenacity to save three match points, before completing an astonishing turnaround to seal an unlikely 1-6 6-2 7-5 victory.

Radwanska faces Kvitova on Friday, and the Pole needs to win a single set to seal her place in the semi-finals at the expense of Zvonareva.

Victoria Azarenka stormed into the semi-finals with a powerful victory over Li Na on Thursday. Azarenka, who had lost four of the pair's five previous meetings, avenged defeats at this year's Australian and French Opens, with a commanding 6-2 6-2 win over the Chinese No. 1.

Li hit twice as many winners as Azarenka, but was left to rue 39 unforced errors as Azarenka dominated the baseline rallies and returned Li's groundstrokes with interest. Having beaten Sam Stosur by the same scoreline on Wednesday, Azarenka is yet to drop a set in Istanbul and was the first player to book her place in the last-four. Li and Stosur meet on Friday in a straight shootout for the semi-final spot.

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