Andy Murray makes Shenzhen semis as Petra Kvitova wins Wuhan Open

The British second seed in Shenzhen defeated Slovak Lukas Lacko 6-3, 7-5 in his quarter-final match, and is in a good position in the tournament after Richard Gasquet and David Ferrer both crashed out.

Andy Murray of Britain returns a shot against Lukas Lacko of Slovakia during their quarterfinal match at the Shenzhen Open tennis championship in Shenzhen, southern China's Guangdong province on September 26, 2014. Andy Murray beat Lukas Lacko 6-3 7-5. AFP PHOTO
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SHENZHEN, China // Andy Murray reached the last four of the ATP Shenzhen Open Friday, as he chases points to make November’s World Tour Finals in London.

The British second seed in Shenzhen defeated Slovak Lukas Lacko 6-3, 7-5 in his quarter-final match, and is in a good position in the tournament after Richard Gasquet and David Ferrer both crashed out.

Third seed Gasquet of France was dumped out in the quarter-finals by Juan Monaco of Argentina, who will face Murray in the last four.

Spanish top seed Ferrer had lost to Viktor Troicki in the previous round, and the Serb crashed out in his quarter-final match Friday, losing 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 to Santiago Giraldo.

The sixth-seeded Columbian will face Tommy Robredo in the semi-finals after he beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3.

Murray is ranked 11th in the world and needs to pick up points to make the season finale in London in which the top eight players compete.

He is scheduled to play the China Open in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters following Shenzhen.

Kvitova defeats Bouchard to win Wuhan Open

WUHAN, China // World No 3 Petra Kvitova overcame Eugenie Bouchard in straight sets Saturday to win the inaugural $2.4 million WTA Wuhan Open, her third title of the year.

The Wimbledon champion was at her ruthless best to defeat the Canadian 6-3, 6-4, a result which confirmed her place in next month’s WTA Finals, the season ending finale of the world’s top eight women players.

The final of the premier-ranking tournament was a rematch between the two players who contested the Wimbledon final, and Kvitova reproduced in Wuhan the determination she displayed in London, where she won 6-3, 6-0.

The Czech player broke the world number nine in the second game and maintained her 3-0 lead to clinch the first set.

Kvitova then took an early lead in the second set, breaking serve in the first game before Bouchard appeared to hurt her middle finger on her left hand which was bandaged later in the game.

The third seed then advanced to 5-2 before Bouchard attempted a comeback.

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