Easy ride for Halep, Kvitova into semis

 Halep returns a shot in the game.

Top seed and world No. 3 Simona Halep, along with second seed Petra Kvitova, ranked four, both breezed past lowly opponents in straight sets yesterday to reach the semifinals of the WTA Shenzhen Open.

Romanian Halep, last year's French Open runner-up, made short work of Serbian qualifier Aleksandra Krunic, winning through 6-3, 6-3 in 62 minutes. Double Wimbledon winner Kvitova needed slightly longer to dispose of her fellow Czech Tereza Smitkova but did so 7-5, 6-4.

She will play Swiss eight seed Timea Bacsinszky in the semifinals, after former world No. 2 Vera Zvonareva's injury devils returned to haunt her and she retired in tears just 29 minutes into her first quarterfinal since 2012.

Halep's semifinal opponent will be home player Zheng Saisai, 20, who is ranked 97th but beat fourth seed Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 3-6, 7-6, 6-2 to maintain Chinese interest in the event.

In Australia, Maria Sharapova moved into the Brisbane International semifinals with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Carla Suarez Navarro.

Sharapova has dropped only five games in her opening two matches of the season and next faces Elina Svitolina of Ukraine, who came from a set and a break down to beat third-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Second-seeded Ana Ivanovic struggled early in her 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, losing the first five games before settling into the match.

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