Lisicki through to Hong Kong Open semifinals

HONG KONG (AP) Top-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany advanced to the semifinals of the Hong Kong Open with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over China's Zheng Saisai on Friday.

Lisicki's semifinal opponent will be unseeded Italian Francesca Schiavone, who beat Jana Cepelova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2.

The other semifinal will feature Czech player Karolina Pliskova, seeded third, and Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium.

Pliskova recorded an easy 6-1, 6-3 win over China's Zheng Jie, while Van Uytvanck, who defeated No. 2 Daniela Hantuchova in the second round, ended Australian Jarmila Gajdosova's run with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.