World No. 63 Solana Sierra has secured her spot in the semifinals of the Philippine Women’s Open, following a commanding quarterfinal victory over Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee. In the match held at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila, Sierra defeated Tararudee with a score of 6-3, 6-4.
Despite a valiant effort from the 21-year-old Thai player, who is ranked 131st in the world, she struggled to mount a comeback after losing the first set. In the second set, Tararudee initially fell behind, trailing 0-2. Although she managed to win a game to get on the scoreboard, Sierra quickly regained control, establishing a 5-2 lead. Tararudee fought back to win two straight games, bringing the match to 5-4, but Sierra’s momentum proved insurmountable as she broke Tararudee’s serve to secure her victory.
Sierra’s win sets the stage for a potential showdown with Filipino tennis star Alex Eala, who is aiming to claim her place in the semifinals. Eala’s match against World No. 84 Camila Osorio of Colombia is scheduled to take place later on Thursday evening, with the possibility of a thrilling matchup against Sierra if Eala emerges victorious.
In another quarterfinal clash, Croatian player Donna Vekic triumphed over China’s Zhu Lin, winning 6-4, 6-3 after an hour and 41 minutes of play. Vekic will advance to face Tatiana Prozorova, an unranked Russian player who has been making waves in the tournament. Prozorova secured her spot in the semis by defeating Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas in a challenging two-hour and 26-minute match, bringing her total wins in the tournament to three, including victories over top-seeded Tatjana Maria and Filipino player Kaye Emana.
The semifinals are set to begin on Friday, promising exciting matches as the players vie for a place in the finals, showcasing their skills at this prestigious WTA125 event.