Wozniacki hadn't even come close to dropping a set all week, but Dulgheru was on her game early in the match, using her heavy topspin groundstrokes to get the first break of the match and build a 3-1 lead and, after letting go of that break, breaking again en route to taking the opening set, 6-4.
But the No.1-seeded Wozniacki got right back on the horse, reeling off 11 points in a row to kick off the second set and then storming out to a 5-0 lead in the third en route to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory.
"I think she played well the whole match," Wozniacki said. "She tried to play aggressive and take the ball early.
But I knew she had a tough match yesterday, so I just kept playing my game and kept trying to put pressure on her. I think I stepped it up in the second and third sets, and it paid off."
El Abierto Monterrey AFIRME tendrá una nueva campeona cuando el domingo se enfrenten la francesa Caroline García y la suiza Timea Bacsinszky en busca del trono que dejó vacante Ana Ivanovic.
García sorprendió al vencer a Ivanovic, primera cabeza de serie y campeona defensora de Monterrey, por parciales de 6-1 y 6-4. Mientras, Timea se impuso a Sara Errani en uno de los mejores duelos del torneo por 6-0, 4-6 y 7-6 (7/3).
Bacsinszky y García se medirán una semana después de enfrentarse en la Final del Abierto Mexicano de Acapulco, en el que la primera resultó ganadora el pasado sábado 28 de febrero.
Taking on Chinese Taipei's all-time greatest player, Hsieh Su-Wei, the No.1-seeded Wozniacki lost serve two times - including in the first game of the second set - but she never looked in trouble, breaking serve six times en route to a 6-2, 6-2 win in an hour and 17 minutes on center court.
"Hsieh Su-Wei's a tough opponent," Wozniacki said afterwards. "She plays very unorthodox, she has some amazing shots - it's tough to play someone like that because you don't get much rhythm.
"I just kept my head cool out there and fought until the end."
Awaiting Wozniacki in the final will be Alexandra Dulgheru, who won an a thriller in the other semifinal, edging No.4 seed Jarmila Gajdosova after three hours and 14 grueling minutes, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(4).
Ana Ivanovic demostró en la cancha que está dispuesta a retener el cetro del Abierto Monterrey AFIRME al avanzar a las semifinales del torneo, tras vencer a la francesa Kristina Mladenovic por parciales de 6-3 y 6-2.
La rival de Ivanovic en la semifinal será la francesa Caroline García, quien en su duelo de cuartos de final venció a la eslovaca Magdalena Rybarikova.
La serbia no pasó por muchos apuros para ganar a Mladenovic, en apenas una hora de partido en la Cancha Central del Club Sonoma, ante cerca de 3 mil fans que soportaron una temperatura que rondó los cinco centígrados.
Por su parte García, tercera sembrada del torneo, avanzó tras el retiro por lesión en el tobillo de Rybarikova. La francesa ganaba 7-5 el primer set, cuando la eslovaca tomó la decisión de dejar el duelo.
Las semifinales de singles están programadas para iniciar no antes de las 16:00 horas.
El primer duelo será el de Sara Errani ante Timea Bacsinszky, y le seguirán Ivanovic frente a García.
In between practices,
I'm testing out some Porsche SUV's, thinking it might be my new investment.
Tried to take a picture in the air but the 'photographer' got me on the way down...aiii!!
Dominika Cibulkova, who reached her first Grand Slam final and cracked the Top 10 during a breakthrough 2014 season, will be out of action until the grass court season now as she will undergo surgery to repair the left Achilles injury that has bothered her for years.
"I have been having difficulties with my Achilles on and off for several years now," Cibulkova said in a statement to the media. "As the inflammation in my Achilles hasn't improved and after consulting my team and my doctor, I have decided to do a routine surgery. It is never an easy decision to make and I will be disappointed to miss a number of upcoming events but fixing my chronic injury is more important at this stage.
The plan is to do the surgery on Monday and I am looking forward to making a full recovery in the near future with the goal of being 100% ready for the grass court season."
Cuatro duelos de poder a poder serán los que se vivirán la jornada del viernes en el Abierto Monterrey AFIRME, con los Cuartos de Final del cuadro de singles.
La serbia y aún campeona del torneo, Ana Ivanovic se enfrentará a la francesa Kristina Mladenovic por su pase a las semifinales, en un juego que está programado para iniciar no antes de las 19:00 horas en la Cancha Central del Club Sonoma.
Ivanovic y Mladenovic saldrán a la cancha con condiciones muy diferentes a las que tuvieron en sus duelos de segunda ronda, ya que deberán medirse bajo un clima frío, el cual contrasta con el calor que se vivió el miércoles en Monterrey.
En duelo pactado para no antes de las 18:00 horas, la segunda sembrada Sara Errani, se enfrentará a la tri campeona del torneo, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, quien la noche del jueves se impuso a Johanna Larsson en parciales de 6-4 y 6-4.
Urszula Radwanska, quien se abre paso en el torneo desde la fase de calificación, se enfrentará, no antes de las 15:00 horas, a Timea Bacsinszky campeona la semana pasada del Abierto Mexicano de Acapulco.
Urszula se impuso el jueves con autoridad a la eslovaca Daniela Hantuchova en parciales de 6-2 y 6-4.
Para cerrar la jornada de cuartos de final, Magdalena Rybarikova se enfrentará a la francesa Caroline García, quien por la noche del jueves venció a por 7-6 (7/2) y 6-0 a la italiana Francesca Schiavone.
I love our lazy mornings..
#appreciatelittlethingsinlife
SELFIE OF THE DAY
Anna Tatishvilli blog.
THE ORIGINAL SELFIE
Ana Ivanovic in press Conference.
Abierto Monterrey Afirme Monterrey.
THE ORIGINAL PIC
Ana Ivanovic was on her game in the late night match at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme on Wednesday, cruising past talented Frenchwoman Pauline Parmentier, 6-3, 6-2.
"It was a very good match. It was a little late, but I'm happy to win," Ivanovic said.
"It was different conditions than yesterday too - it was a little bit slower out there, and a little bit heavier.
But I was happy to get the victory and get through to the quarterfinals in Monterrey again."
There was another difference from Tuesday to Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Ivanovic was given an oversized teddy bear after her match
Where is the bear now?
"It's in my room!"
Ivanovic said.
"In the middle of the night when I wake up, I'm a little scared."
EUGENIE BOUCHARD. THE BEST SELFIE
ready for practice!
Abierto Monterrey
But it was Vaidisova, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist and former World No.7, who got drawn into that spot. And Ivanovic looked completely psyched up for it, winning in straights, 6-1, 7-6(4).
It wasn't all plain sailing - after storming out to a 6-1, 3-0 lead in just over half an hour, Ivanovic watched on as Vaidisova brought out some vintage form, winning five of the next six games to go ahead 5-4 and eventually pushing the second set to a tie-break. Ivanovic wrestled control back just in time, though, reeling off four points in a row from 4-3 down to close out the breaker and the match.
"When I saw I was going to play against her I knew it would be a tough match because she's a great player," Ivanovic said of Vaidisova. "She didn't play for a while, and now she wants to play again, and in the second set she was playing really well and making some really good shots out there.
"I'm happy I won the tie-break because you never know what will happen in a third set."
We had lots of fun at the #AbiertoMty players party
#WeCouldBeHeroes
#Monterrey
PHOTO OF THE DAY
The WTA stars went from tennis clothes to party attire to superhero outfits
At the end of a long day of matches, practice and off-court training, the WTA stars headed to the VIP Lounge at Club Sonoma for the tournament's official player party.
And though the fashion, gourmet dinner and traditional Mexican dance performances were fantastic, there was one more fantasy to come on the big night: the WTA stars showing their Power To Inspire - or Superpower To Inspire.
Two years ago, in her only previous appearance at the tournament, Wozniacki suffered a shock first round exit, but against Wang another upset never looked on the cards.
An early break settled any nerves and after just 69 minutes she was wrapping up a 6-3 6-1 win.
Also advancing were Jarmila Gajdosova, Klara Koukalova and Julia Goerges. No.5 seed Koukalova put recent difficulties behind her, seeing off Patricia Mayr-Achleitner, 6-1, 6-3, to end a four-match losing run, while No.8 seed Goerges defeated Alla Kudryavtseva, 6-1, 7-6(2).
Gajdosova was made to work slightly harder, eventually overcoming a spirited rearguard effort - and the after-effects of a recent illness - to defeat World No.108 Cagla Buyukakcay 7-5, 6-4.
"It was tough, I mean she played well and didn't give me too much at the beginning," Gajdosova said. "I had to make her run and wait for my opportunity to go for the short ball.
"Obviously it's hard being sick for the past few days - I've been on antibiotics - so it's not really easy for me to be in the heat and I thought I played pretty decent when I had to. I think at 5-3 I had a couple of set points and then some more at 5-4.
It could have been a little bit easier, but she played well so I'm glad to be through."
I hope u had a happy monday guys..
#smile #positiveenergy
kiiissss
Last year at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme, Ivanovic and Jaksic battled it out in the first all-Serbian final in WTA history - Ivanovic won that one, but had some very kind words for her countrywoman.
"I think we both enjoyed the final - it was very special for our country, it was the first time two players from our country were in a WTA final together," Ivanovic said that night in Monterrey. "It was also great to see Jovana doing so well here this week. I think she definitely has a bright future ahead of her."
Tournament Info
Tier: International
Prize Money: $250,000
Surface: Hard
Director: Keld Kristiansen
The WTA travels to the Far East in March for the BMW Malaysian Open.
Won by Alisa Kleybanova at its inaugural staging in 2010, Kuala Lumpur has since been captured by Jelena Dokic, Hsieh Su-Wei, the second Taiwanese to secure a WTA title, Karolina Pliskova and Donna Vekic, who at 17 during the 2014 staging became the WTA's youngest titlist in almost seven years.
Malaysia's only global city, Kuala Lumpur is a financial, insurance, real estate, media and arts hub. It is the country's federal capital and most populous city and has hosted major sports, political and cultural events.
Taking on the No.3-seeded Caroline Garcia, the No.5-seeded Bacsinszky reeled off eight games in a row from 4-3 in the opening set to completely run away with the final in 66 minutes, 6-3, 6-0.
The end of the final was the complete opposite of the beginning of Bacsinszky's first round match - not only did she drop the first set to Richel Hogenkamp in that one, but she was down a break twice in the second set and again in the third set against the Dutch qualifier. But she got through that one in three sets, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, and never lost another set en route to the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL title.
It's been a long road back for Bacsinszky. Once one of the fastest-rising young stars on the tour, winning Luxembourg in 2009 and going as high as No.37 in the world in 2010, her 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons were completely marred by a series of injuries. She fell as low as No.578 in April 2012.
But after grinding her way back up the rankings in 2014, starting at No.237 and finishing No.48, the Swiss has gone to even higher heights this year, surpassing her previous career-high from 2010 and, now, winning the second WTA title of her career on the beautiful blue hardcourts of Acapulco.
"Maybe I'm like a good wine - with time, I'm better!
" Bacsinszky joked to the press afterwards.
