Czech Sara Bejlek has continued her impressive run at the Cincinnati Open, securing a spot in her first WTA 1000 semi-final. The unseeded 20-year-old overcame American Madison Keys with a 3-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5) victory in the quarter-finals.
Bejlek's path to the last four has included wins against three major champions, notably world number one Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova. She fought back from a set down and a 3-1 deficit in the second set against Keys, eventually winning the match in two hours and 37 minutes.
In the semi-finals, Bejlek will face fourth seed Coco Gauff. Gauff reached her third consecutive semi-final by defeating Ukraine's 10th-seeded Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-2. Gauff stated she has changed tactics, incorporating more net play, which she believes is yielding positive results.