Sabalenka stops compatriot Azarenka to reach Montreal semis

ryna Sabalenka hits a return during her Women's Singles Quarterfinals match against Victoria Azarenka on Day Five of the National Bank Open on August 13, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. (Getty Images/AFP)

Victoria Azarenka hits a return during her Women's Singles Quarterfinals match against Aryna Sabalenka on Day Five of the National Bank Open on August 13, 2021 in Montreal, Canada.(Getty Images/AFP)

MONTREAL, Canada: Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka beat Victoria Azarenka, 6-2, 6-4 on Friday in a quarterfinal between players from Belarus at the National Bank Open.
Sabalenka, ranked No. 3, trailed 4-2 in the second set before winning four games in a row. She had seven aces in the 79-minute match.
“I’m really happy with this, it was a tough match,” Sabalenka said. ”(Azarenka) played really well. The second set was a little tricky. I’m really happy that I came back in the end of the set and won it actually.”
Azarenka was seeded eighth.
“I feel I just didn’t take my opportunities,” Azarenka said. ”It’s as simple as that.”
Sabalenka will face fourth-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the semifinals. Pliskova beat Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-4, 6-0.
Italy’s Camila Giorgi beat 17-year-old American Coco Gauff 6-4, 7-6 (2) in the night session. Giorgi will face the winner of the late match between Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur and American Jessica Pegula.