Osaka, Japan (SportsNetwork.com) - Samantha Stosur moved one step closer to another Japan Women's Open title on Friday with an easy quarterfinal win.
The top seed and defending champion from Australia cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Kazakhstan's Yulia Putintseva. Stosur beat Canada's Eugenie Bouchard in last year's final, was the inaugural winner in Osaka and was also the runner-up in 2011.
Next up for the former U.S. Open champion will be third-seeded Elina Svitolina. The Ukrainian also cruised into the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over eighth-seeded American Lauren Davis on Day 5.
It was a bad day all around for the American contingent in Osaka, as second- seeded Madison Keys exited. Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum held a 6-2, 4-3 advantage when Keys called it quits with a right rib injury.
Kumkhum will play fifth-seeded Zarina Diyas in the semifinals. The Kazakhstan native rallied for a 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2 win Friday over Croatia's Ana Konjuh.
The 2014 Osaka champ will collect $43,000.
