Peng, Bencic advance to Tianjin semifinals

TIANJIN, China (AP) Hometown favorite Peng Shuai closed in on her first WTA Tour title with a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-5 win over Croatia's Ajla Tomljanovic in the

TIANJIN, China (AP) Hometown favorite Peng Shuai closed in on her first WTA Tour title with a 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-5 win over Croatia's Ajla Tomljanovic in the Tianjin Open quarterfinals on Friday.

The second-seeded Peng, who grew up in Tianjin, broke Tomljanovic five times and saved eight break points in the nearly three-hour match.

Peng next plays third-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, who beat Hsieh Su-Wei of Taiwan 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

The other semifinal will pit Alison Riske against Zheng Saisai.

Riske beat fellow American Varvara Lepchenko 7-6 (5), 6-3, while Zheng defeated Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.