Sixth-seeded Yuan Yue of the Chinese mainland has advanced to the semifinals of the Hong Kong Open by defeating former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin of the USA in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3 🎾. The match was played in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Friday and lasted one hour and 20 minutes ⏱️.
Yuan, ranked 45th in the world, showcased her skills and resilience, setting up a thrilling next round against second-seeded Katie Boulter of Great Britain 🇬🇧, with a spot in the title match up for grabs 🏆.
Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open champion, has dropped to 88th in the world rankings and faced challenges in the quarterfinal match due to a thigh injury, competing with a protective bandage 🏥.
\"I knew my opponent played very well last week, but she wasn't at her best today due to injury,\" Yuan said. \"I felt I could perform well, and although there were some ups and downs during the match, I played better than in my previous match. I hope to continue this form into the next round.\"
Before this victory, Yuan knocked out two-time Grand Slam winner Simona Halep of Romania 🇷🇴 in the first round and rallied from a set down to defeat Japan's Nao Hibino in the round of 16 🇯🇵.
