MOSCOW: Top-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta was knocked out of the Kremlin Cup in the second round by Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-3 here on Thursday.

The Russian broke 11th-ranked Carreno Busta twice in each set.

Medvedev’s win sets up a quarter-final against Bosnian qualifier Mirza Basic.

Second-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas lost his second-round match in surprising style, beaten 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 by 107th-ranked Alexander Bublik, who fired in 19 aces. The player from Kazakhstan had initially failed to qualify for the main draw but was given a place as a lucky loser.

Earlier, Russia’s Daria Kasatkina booked a place in the semi-finals of the women’s draw, beating Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus 6-4, 6-3.

Standing between Kasatkina and her second career final is Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania, who prevailed against qualifier Vera Lapko of Belarus 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 in their quarter-final.

The other women’s semi-final pits Germany’s Julia Goerges against Russian Natalia Vikhlyantseva.

Goerges, the last seeded player left in the draw, saw off Lesia Tsurenko 6-3, 6-4. Vikhlyantseva eliminated Alize Cornet, winning their quarter-final 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 despite needing treatment on her left thigh.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2017