Flavia Pennetta has reached the semi-finals of the US Open for the second time after beating Petra Kvitova in their quarter-final clash this afternoon.
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The Italian, playing in her sixth quarter-final in New York, beat the fifth seed 4-6 6-4 6-2 to progress into the last four for the first time since 2011.
The first set was evenly contested in the opening stages, with both players giving away service games. Kvitova broke in the seventh game to move 5-2 ahead and despite a break back from the 25th seed, the Czech went on to serve out the set.
Kvitova looked on course to take the second set after moving 3-1 up with a break of serve. However, Pennetta responded to level the score and then made a break of her own with a difficult backhand down the line to go 5-4 in front. She then kept her nerve to take the set on her own serve, despite a resilient fight from Kvitova in the final game.
Pennetta improved as the second set progressed and she continued to do so through the third. The Italian produced a string of returns from the back of the court as she broke to go 4-2 up, before two unforced errors from Kvitova in her next service game gifted it to her opponent.
Pennetta held serve again in the final game to wrap up the match and set up a semi-final meeting with either Victoria Azarenka or Simona Halep.
Steven Toplis
