Pliskova edges past Muguruza

 

Originally published on 16/03/17

The world No.3 is enjoying her best season to date, winning Premier titles in Brisbane and Doha and is now through to her third semi-final of the season after a narrow 7-6(2) 7-6(5)victory over Garbine Muguruza at the BNP Paribas Open.

“Definitely the best match for me in this tournament,” Pliskova said after edging out the Roland Garros champion in an hour and 56 minutes. “Also it was against a good player, so the level ultimately goes up a little bit more.”

“I just always feel quite good against her,” added Pliskova, who has won the last six meeting between the pair. “It doesn’t matter which shape I am in. I didn’t have that good matches in the tournament [so far], but with her the level is always a little bit higher.”

Standing between Pliskova and a place in the final is No.8 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 6-4 earlier on Wednesday.

“We had two matches, [both] times three setters, and two times it was really tough,” Kuznetsova said of her previous matches against Pliskova – both last year. “Definitely I’ll take positives from the matches I’ve played.

“I just keep the same game plan and have to be aggressive and not going to her forehand. And don’t let her play, otherwise she’s going to [make] me run.”

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