Former Hobart International champion Alize Cornet moved a step closer to another title in Tasmania with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen in the quarterfinals Thursday.
The sixth-seeded Cornet, who won the event in 2016 and hasn’t dropped a set this year, overcame a fall and skinned knee to reach the semifinals.
Cornet served for the match at 5-2 in the second set but was broken as Minnen hit some clean winners.
“To finally close it out at 5-4, I was pretty tight, so I’m happy I could finish the match,” Cornet said. “To be in the semifinal is a great start to the year.”
Cornet will next play Sofia Kenin for a place in the final. The 20-year-old American beat veteran Kirsten Flipkins 7-5, 7-5.
In other quarterfinal matches, Belinda Bencic beat Dayana Yastremska 7-6 (2) 6-3 and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova defeated Irina-Camelia Begu 7-5, 7-5.