Krejcikova and Ostapenko reach the semifinals of the Birmingham Classic
Top-seeded Barbora Krejcikova breezed into Friday’s Birmingham Classic quarterfinals but Jelena Ostapenko, the No. 2 seed, had much more difficulty.
Krejcikova easily defeated Linda Fruhvirtova, a fellow Czech, 6-3, 6-2. The winner of the 2021 French Open never faced a break point.
The 2017 French Open winner Ostapenko, meanwhile, overcame Pole Magdalena Frech in a sloppy quarterfinal by scores of errors after falling down a set and 4-0.
Ostpenko also dealt with a left calf problem.
The Latvian remarked, “I was considering at one time maybe I should stop, but there is a fighter inside of me so I want to play till I cannot walk or whatever. “After winning the second set, I felt like I was playing better and my footwork was there.”
The No. 4-seeded Anastasia Potapova, who prevented the last local singles player, Harriet Dart, from making it to her maiden WTA semifinal, will face Ostapenko. Potapova won 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
The unseeded Zhu Lin of China awaits Krejcikova in the quarterfinal round. Ten aces and seven double faults helped Zhu defeat Canadian Rebecca Marino 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
