The 18-year-old Czech broke her Belarusian opponent five times in the clash that lasted nearly three hours and held her nerve in a tight final set tiebreak to prevail.

Noskova, who also upset third seed Daria Kasatkina earlier in the WTA 500 event, next meets favourite and world No 2 Ons Jabeur, who battled past Marta Kostyuk 7-6(5), 7-5.

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka staved off a late fightback from former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova to win 6-3, 7-5 in hot conditions.

“It was a tough match. She fought until the end and I was really happy I was able to win,” WTA Finals runner-up Sabalenka said after another battling display in her preparation for the Jan 16 to Jan 29 Australian Open.

“I think because I’m staying really calm and I feel like I’m at home here that’s why I play really well. I haven’t dropped a set yet. Hopefully I’ll keep going like that.”

Up next for Sabalenka is Irina-Camelia Begu who defeated Veronika Kudermetova 7-5, 6-4.

Fernandez falls in Auckland

Leylah Fernandez had dropped only three games in two matches at the Auckland Classic ahead of her quarterfinal clash against Belgium’s Ysaline Bonaventure but the Canadian – runner-up in the 2021 US Open – crashed to a 6-4, 6-2 defeat.

Top seed Coco Gauff had no trouble in her 6-3, 6-2 win over China’s Zhu Lin and the American next meets Danka Kovinic who beat Viktoria Kuzmova by the same scoreline.

Rebeka Masarova overcame Karolina Muchova 7-6(4), 7-6(2) to complete the final four in the rain-hit tournament where players competed indoors again.