WTA Tashkent Open: Eva Birnerova vs. Valeria Savinykh

Eva Birnerova and Valeria Savinykh will face off on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals of the Tashkent Open.

Eva Birnerova battled back from a set down on Wednesday, clinching a berth in the quarter-finals of the Tashkent Open by beating Evgeniya Rodina 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-1. The Czech was the more consistent player throughout, though she could have ended up in trouble had she not saved eight of the twelve break points that she faced.

Birnerova will now take on Valeria Savinykh for a place in the semi-finals. Savinykh defied the odds to claim a tough 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 success against fourth seed Anastasija Sevastova in round two. There wasn’t much to choose between the two competitors, though Savinykh’s ability to pick off Sevastova’s second serve was decisive.

Savinykh beat Birnerova earlier in the year in Johannesburg. She won the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, and might just have the mental edge heading into Thursday’s clash. That said, it looks like these 2 players are well matched, and the outcome of this upcoming contest isn’t easy to predict.