(Reuters) – Tunisian Ons Jabeur reached her career-second WTA 1000 semi-final after beating former world number one Simona Halep 6-3 6-2 at the Madrid Open on Wednesday.
Jabeur, who reached the Indian Wells last four in 2021, won an impressive 77.8% points on her first serve and converted four of her five break points against two-times champion Halep to seal the victory in just over an hour.
World number 10 Jabeur will face the winner of the match between Ekaterina Anisimova and Amanda Alexandrova for a spot in her first WTA 1000 final.
Sara Sorribes Tormo of Spain will face American Jessica Pegula and Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina will take on Swiss Jil Teichmann in the other quarter-finals.
In the men’s draw, 21-times major winner Rafa Nadal, world number three Alexander Zverev and Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas are all in action later on Wednesday in the round of 32.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
