Reigning champion Pliskova knocked out at Eastbourne

AFP  |  East Bourne 

Reigning champion Pliskova was surprisingly knocked out of the tournament after squandering a three-game lead in the final set.

It seemed Pliskova was on course to reach the semi-finals of the grass-court event that acts as a warm-up for 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 6-2, 7-5.

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

World number two Wozniacki, champion, beat eighth seed 6-4 6-3, while Kerber had a much tougher time before seeing off Russia's 6-1, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/3).

In the men's event, British number one was unable to build on his win over compatriot

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

Two-time 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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, June 29 2018. 10:25 IST