Daria Kasatkina stunned fresh Australian Open champion and world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki 7-6 (7-2) 6-3 to advance to the semifinals of the Ladies Trophy in St. Petersburg for the second time.
Wozniacki earned a break in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead but Kasatkina broke twice at love in the fifth and eleventh games. The young Russian player dropped her serve after a double fault on the break point as she served out the first set at 6-5 to set up a tie-break. Kasatkina dominated the tie-break to prevail by 7-2.
Kasatkina converted her second break point chance at deuce in the second game to take a 3-0 lead. Wozniacki broke back at 30 in the fifth game for 2-3, after Kasatkina made a double fault. Kasatkina reeled off three of the last four games of the match including a break in the sixth game for 4-2. She had to save a break point as she was serving for the match, before wrapping up the match with a forehand winner.
Kasatkina has clinched her second win over a world number 1 player after defeating Angelique Kerber last year in Sydney.
Kasatkina reached her fifth WTA semifinal and her second in St. Petersburg after losing to Belinda Bencic in 2006.
“She just won the Australian Open, and since I beat her, it means I was playing really well. I was just trying to play point-by-point and focus on the rally. It’s important for the confidence. At the same time if you want to achieve something, you have to beat the best players. The first time I beat I beat Number 1 in the world, I was so excited. I don’t feel something unbelievable, I am just thinking about the next match”, said Kasatkina.
Kasatkina will take on number 4 Kristina Mladenovic, who beat Katerina Siniakova 6-4 6-3 in the quarter finals.
