WTA Barcelona - Cibulkova advances but Georges is upset in the quarters

Second seeded Julia Georges was the big casualty on Friday in quarter final action at the WTA Barcelona Open. The German was beaten by Italy’s Sara Errani, who has now won eight matches in a row on clay after winning her last clay court event in February.

Errani, won easily in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 and will meet Spaniard Carla Suárez Navarro for a place in the semi finals.

Navarro came from 2-4 down in the first set to beat Romanian youngster Simona Halep, 6-4, 6-1.”Before the match I thought it would be a tough and long match, and I started a little bit nervous,” Suárez Navarro commented. “I managed to hold on and take the first set, and after that I felt she dropped her level and I played even better.I play well on clay. I haven’t been training too much on it before this week and I still need to adapt to play my best tennis, but I’m feeling good right now.”

Meanwhile, third seed Domnikia Cibulkova, now the highest seed left in the event, will take on Sorana Cirstea in the other semi-final.

Cirstea rallied from 3-1 down in the final set to beat Olga Govortsova 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 while Cibulkova got past qualifier Yuliya Beygelzimer, 3-6, 6-0, 6-0.

Francesca Schiavone, Roberta Vinci, Flavia Pennetta and Errani have reached the doubles final. Errani and Vinci are the top seeds, Pennetta and Schiavone unseeded – meaning an Italian pair will surely win the title on Saturday.

Singles – Quarterfinals(7) Sara Errani (ITA) d. (2) Julia Goerges (GER) 6-2, 6-3(3) Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) d. (Q) Yuliya Beygelzimer (UKR) 3-6, 6-0, 6-0Sorana Cirstea (ROU) d. Olga Govortsova (BLR) 2-6, 6-1, 6-3Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. Simona Halep (ROU) 6-4, 6-1