WTA Tashkent Open: Alla Kudryavtseva vs. Eva Birnerova

Alla Kudryavtseva and Eva Birnerova will meet on court on Friday in the semi-finals of the Tashkent Open.

Alla Kudryavtseva managed to record a 7-6(5), 6-4 victory over Sorana Cirstea in Thursday’s Tashkent Open semi-finals, and she’ll be relieved to have escaped from such a close contest. Cirstea was left rueing her missed chances, having only taken advantage of one of seven break point opportunities.

Kudryavtseva may not have won by a huge margin, but her steady nerve on the key points should stand her in good stead for her semi-final clash against Eva Birnerova.

Birnerova finds herself in the final four after a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 success against Valeria

Savinykh. Birnerova only won six more points than the Russian, and like Kudryavtseva, she kept her title hopes alive by fending off a number of break points.

Kudryavtseva is the favourite here, and she should be the more rested of the pairing, having gotten through her quarter-final clash in straight sets. That said, Birnerova has played well this week, and won’t be willing to exit this tournament without putting up a good fight.