Reigning champion Plíšková knocked out at Eastbourne

Reigning champion Plíšková knocked out at Eastbourne

Karolína Plíšková was upset by Aryna Sabalenka, who will next play against Agnieszka Radwanska, in the Nature Valley International quarterfinals.

Aryna Sabalenka knocked Karolína Plíšková out of the Nature Valley International. (AFP pic)
EASTBOURNE:
Reigning champion Karolína Plíšková was surprisingly knocked out of the Nature Valley International on Thursday after squandering a three-game lead in the final set.

It seemed Plíšková was on course to reach the semifinals of the grass-court event that acts as a warmup for Wimbledon but surrendered her advantage against 20-year-old Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka to lose 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).

Sabalenka will now meet 2008 champion Agnieszka Radwanska in the last four.

The Pole, continuing her return from a back injury, defeated Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 7-5.

Meanwhile, top seed Caroline Wozniacki, the 2009 champion and last year’s beaten finalist, will face Angelique Kerber in Friday’s other semi-final.

World number two Wozniacki, the Australian Open champion, beat eighth seed Ashleigh Barty 6-4 6-3, while Kerber had a much tougher time before seeing off Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3).

In the men’s event, British number one Kyle Edmund was unable to build on his win over compatriot Andy Murray.

Despite winning the first set, Edmund lost 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 to world number 90 Mikhail Kukushkin.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Murray is returning from a longstanding hip injury, with the Scot set to announce on Friday if he will compete in this year’s edition.

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