Pliskova overcomes Kuzmova to reach last four in Tashkent

Kristyna Pliskova made serene progress into the Tashkent Open semi-finals as the 2016 champion beat top seed Viktoria Kuzmova in straight sets.

Fifth seed Pliskova broke in Kuzmova's first service game en route to a 3-0 lead and won five successive games in the second set, eventually converting match point at the third time of asking to clinch a 6-3 6-4 success.

Pliskova, whose only previous singles title on the tour came at this event in 2016, now faces Alison Van Uytvanck in the semi-finals after the Belgian breezed past Pauline Parmentier 6-2 6-4.

Sorana Cirstea outlasted Danka Kovinic 7-5 5-7 6-1 in just under two and a half hours and her next opponent is Katarina Zavatska, who only dropped two games in ousting Anna Kalinskaya.

.@KrisPliskova seals a semifinal spot at #TashkentOpen, 6-3 6-4 over Kuzmova pic.twitter.com/nYjsYTktHA
— WTA (@WTA) September 26, 2019