MOSCOW -- Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova beat fourth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-1, 6-7 (2), 6-4 in the Kremlin Cup semifinals on Friday to remain on course to claim the eighth and last spot in the WTA Finals.
Kuznetsova will qualify for the finals in Singapore on Sunday only if she wins the tournament. Otherwise, the place will go to Britain’s Johanna Konta.
As in the quarterfinal win against Hungarian Timea Babos, the Russian lost the second set in the tiebreak before prevailing in the final set.
In the other semifinal, Daria Gavrilova of Australia played Julia Goerges of Germany later Friday.
In the men’s event, Fabio Fognini upset second-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-2, 6-2 to face in the semis third-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, who beat Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-4, 6-2.
