The power-hitting of Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens proved too much for Australia’s Daria Gavrilova to handle in their Italian Open quarter-final.
The world No.20 Bertens dismissed Gavrilova with a 6-3 6-3 victory and a barrage of heavy forehands that the Australian qualifier simply could not withstand.
Bertens broke Gavrilova twice in each set and frequently took advantage of the world No.33’s weak second serve, frequently pouncing on it to hit winners throughout the match.
The win books Bertens a semi-final against tournament sixth seed and the winner of the Madrid Open, Simona Halep.
Romania’s Halep was clinical in her dismissal of Estonia’s Annett Kontaveit, recording a 6-2 6-4 victory over the world No. 68.
“Today was a good match, but I can say that I could finish earlier in the second set,” said Halep, who raced to a 3-0 lead in the first set and broke Kontaveit in the opening game of the second before winning.
“But she turned it a little bit around… she came back for a few games, and she played really, really well.”
Joining them in the semi-finals is Ukrainian eighth seed Elina Svitolina who beat Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova 6-2 7-6 (11-9).
Svitolina will play 2016 French Open winner Garbine Muguruza who beat Venus Williams 6-2 3-6 6-2 in their quarter-final.