PALERMO, Sicily — Top-ranked Daria Kasatkina is out of the Palermo Open after losing to home favorite Jasmine Paolini in the quarterfinals on Friday.
The fifth-seeded Paolini found herself 3-1 down in the deciding set and facing three break points but managed to rally and didn’t let Kasatkina get a look in as she went on to triumph 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
The Italian player will next face Sara Sorribes Tormo, who had lost six of her past seven quarterfinals. But the Spanish player got past that mental block by beating Clara Brunel 6-1, 7-6 (6).
Second-seeded Zheng Qinwen of China will face third-seeded Egyptian Mayar Sherif in the other semifinal on the red clay courts of the Country Time Club.
Zheng beat seventh-seeded Emma Navarro of the United States 6-4, 6-2. It was only Navarro’s second loss in her past seven matches.
Sherif eliminated Camila Osorio 6-4, 6-1.