Arruabarrena Defeats Monica Niculescu to Claim Korea Open Title

The drought is over for Lara Arruabarrena

The 22-year-old Spanish tennis player has picked up the second singles title of her career more than four years after winning her first.

Lara Arruabarrena

Arruabarrena defeated fifth-seeded Monica Niculescu of Romania on Sunday 6-0, 2-6, 6-0 to win the title at the Korea Open.

In the semifinals, Arruabarrena defeated Patricia Maria Tig 6-1, 6-2, ending hopes of an all-Romanian final.

She advanced to the semifinals after dispatching second-seeded Johanna Larsson of Sweden in straight sets.

Arruabarrena Reaches Korea Open Final

Lara Arruabarrena is one way away…

The 24-year-old Spanish tennis player defeated Romania’s Patricia Tig 6-1, 6-2 to reach the finals of the Korea Open.

Lara Arruabarrena

Arruabarrena, who upset second-seed Johanna Larsson in the quarterfinals, will face Romania’s Monica Niculescu, the No. 5 seed, in the finals.

Arruabarrena will play for her second WTA singles title. She previously won the title at the Copa Sony Ericsson Colsanitas in February 2012.

She’s currently ranked No. 90 in the world.

Muguruza Defeats Caroline Wozniacki to Reach the Wimbledon Quarterfinals

It’s a little splendor in the grass for Garbine Muguruza

The 21-year-old Venezuelan-Spanish professional tennis player upset former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth round at Wimbledon, reaching the last-eight at the prestigious All-England Club for the first time in her career.

Garbine Muguruza

Muguruza, seeded No. 20, defeated No. 5 seed Wozniacki in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Both players had opportunities in a tight opening set, but it was Muguruza that took hers, claiming the solitary break when the Dane framed a forehand beyond the baseline. Despite a lapse in concentration at the start of the second, Muguruza displayed her growing maturity by wrestling back the momentum, producing a brilliant game – including one inspired backhand lob – to break for a 5-4 lead, then holding her nerve to serve out the match in a fraught final game.

“It means a lot because I haven’t played a lot matches on grass, so I didn’t know how to prepare for Wimbledon,” Muguruza said. “I think it’s like the third time I play here. So for me was something new. That’s why it’s special.

With the win, Muguruza becomes the first Spanish woman to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon since Conchita Martinez – who was announced as the new Spanish Davis Cup captain on Monday – in 2001.

Muguruza’s victory means it’s guaranteed that the Wimbledon ladies’ finalist from the bottom half of the draw will be ranked outside the top 10.

Muguruza next faces Swiss No. 15 seed Timea Bacsinszky after she fought back from a set down to beat Romanian Monica Niculescu 1-6, 7-5, 6-2.

The other quarterfinal match in the bottom half will be contested on Tuesday by big-serving American Madison Keys and Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

Muguruza Storms Into Brazil Cup Semifinals

Garbine Muguruza is one step closer to reaching the Brazilian Cup finals…

The 20-year-old Venezuelan-Spanish rising tennis star defeated qualifier Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-3 to reach the semifinals at the tournament taking place in Florianopolis, Brazil.

Garbine Muguruza

Muguruza, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, will next will play Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan, who defeated sixth-seeded Alexandra Cadantu of Romania 6-3, 6-3.

In January, Muguruza defeated former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open to reach her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, top-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro advanced to the Brazil Cup semifinals Thursday after No. 5-seeded Monica Niculescu of Romania retired with an apparent right ankle injury.

Niculescu had been struggling to move around the court and at one point lost eight games in a row before pulling out while trailing the Spaniard 4-6, 6-0, 4-1.

The 15th-ranked Navarro will now play third-seeded Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic.

Suarez Navarro Reaches the Quarterfinals at the Brazil Cup

Carla Suarez Navarro is still in the hunt at the Brazil Cup

The 25-year-old Spanish tennis player, the tournaments top seed, defeated Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens 6-3, 7-6 (2) to reach the quarterfinals of the Brazil Cup on Wednesday.

Carla Suarez Navarro

Both players broke serve twice in the final set, but Navarro dominated in the tiebreak to finish out the match in 1 hour, 45 minutes. The match was briefly interrupted in the second set because of rain.

Navarro will face fifth-seeded Monica Niculescu of Romania, who beat qualifier Danka Kovinic of Montenegro 6-3, 6-1.

Third-seeded Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic, trying to reach her third final this year, cruised into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-3 win over French qualifier Alize Lim.

Zakopalova, runner up at last week’s Rio Open, will face Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania, who defeated Brazilian Teliana Pereira 7-5, 6-2.