Top-seeded Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic will meet third-seeded Timea Babos of Hungary in the semi-finals of the WTA tournament at Quebec City after both won in straight sets on Friday. Safarova lost the first three games of her quarter-final clash with compatriot Lucie Hradecka but rallied for a 6-4, 7-5 victory.

Hradecka, who is ranked 166th, pushed hard in the second set, but despite leading 5-4 she couldn't find the crucial service break and Safarova won the last three games. Babos dashed the hopes of a partisan crowd with her 6-3, 6-2 victory over Canadian Francoise Abanda, firing seven aces in a match lasting one hour and 11 minutes.

The other semifinal will pit fourth-seeded Tatjana Maria of Germany against seventh-seeded Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium. Maria eliminated American Sachia Vickery 6-1, 6-3 while Van Uytvanck needed just 65 minutes to oust qualifier Caroline Dolehide of the United States 6-2, 6-2.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017