Palermo Open: Paolini knocks out top seed Kasatkina, moves into semi-finals

Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No 5 seed, won against Russian Daria Kasatkina, the top seed, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to advance to the last four of the Palermo Open at A.S.D. Country Time Club on Friday evening.

Paolini, ranked No 52, will face Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo next.

In the previous rounds of the Palermo tournament, the Italian defeated Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus (6-4, 5-7, 6-2) and Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska (2-6, 6-4, 6-2).

Kasatkina, ranked No 11, won against Italian Martina Trevisan (6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-0) and qualifier Tatiana Prozorova (6-3, 6-1) earlier in the tournament.

Palermo WTA 250, other last 8 results (A.S.D. Country Time Club, clay, USD 259.303, most recent results first):

• Emma Navarro vs. Qinwen Zheng
• Mayar Sherif (3) beat Camila Osorio: 6-4, 6-1
• Sara Sorribes Tormo beat Clara Burel: 6-1, 7-6 (6)