Svitolina, Schiavone reach Baku semis

Published February 05, 2015

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.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/svitolina-schiavone-reach-baku-semis