Wuhan, China (SportsNetwork.com) - Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, Wimbledon runner-up Eugenie Bouchard and U.S. Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki were a trio of quarterfinal winners Thursday at the inaugural $2.4 million Wuhan Tennis Open.
The third-seeded Czech left-hander Kvitova beat promising 20-year-old Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-4, while the sixth-seeded Bouchard got past last week's Guangzhou, China, runner-up Alize Cornet of France 6-3, 7-5, and the eighth-seeded former world No. 1 star Wozniacki fought back to beat Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 on the hardcourts at Optics Valley International Tennis Center.
The qualifier Bacsinszky stunned French Open champ Maria Sharapova here on Wednesday, while Garcia had beaten Venus Williams and world No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska this week.
Wozniacki was this month's U.S. Open runner-up to Serena Williams and last week's Tokyo runner-up to fellow former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic.
A Day 5 upset came when Ukrainian Elina Svitolina took out seventh-seeded German southpaw Angelique Kerber 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Friday's semifinals will pit Kvitova against Svitolina and Bouchard versus Wozniacki.
Kvitova likes the conditions here.
"The court feels a little bit faster ... and that probably is what suits my game," Kvitova said.
"I just feel well here. The people are coming to support us every time, so it's beautiful to see them there. I feel good, and I work(ed) hard before I came here."
This week's champion will claim $441,000.
