Czech player Karolina Pliskova reached the semi-finals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati on Friday (19th August) with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory over Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Quarter-finals day at the Western & Southern Open and a first-ever meeting between Karolina Pliskova and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Both players have been on great form this season, with Kuznetsova back in the top 10 for the first time since 2010 and Pliskova with two finals and a title to her name.

And it was Pliskova who came out on top after three tough sets, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in her first victory over a top ten player this year.

The Czech rolled through the first set in just 33 minutes, with three breaks of serve.

Errors then started to creep into Pliskova's game and an early break for Kuznetsova was all she needed to draw level.

Into the decider - and with wins in 16 of the 21 three-setters she had played this season - Kuznetsova looked likely to use her momentum to wrap up the match.

But Pliskova came back strongly, allowing her Russian opponent just two more games and earning herself a place in the semi-final.

Pliskova leads the head-to-head against both players.