Baku, Azerbaijan (SportsNetwork.com) - Reigning champion Elina Svitolina and former French Open titlist Francesca Schiavone were among Friday's quarterfinal winners at the Baku Cup tennis event.
The second-seeded Ukrainian Svitolina defeated France's Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 6-4, while the 34-year-old Schiavone outlasted Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 on the hardcourts at Baku Tennis Academy.
Svitolina won her first WTA title at this event last year by beating Israeli Shahar Peer in the final.
The 19-year-old Svitolina and Schiavone will do battle in one of Saturday's semifinals, while the other will pit fifth-seeded Serb Bojana Jovanovski against Swiss Stefanie Voegele.
The 2012 Baku champion Jovanovski overcame Japanese qualifier Misa Eguchi 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, while Voegele vaulted past Peer 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 on Day 5.
The 2014 Baku champ will claim $43,000.
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