Goerges sails into semi-finals

Zhuhai (China), Nov. 3: Sloane Stephens retired in her match against Barbora Strycova at the WTA Elite Trophy on Friday, extending her winless streak since lifting the US Open trophy in September.

The American, part of the US team looking ahead to next weekend’s Fed Cup final against Belarus, crashed out of the tournament in Zhuhai with a knee injury that sealed her defeat to Czechoslovakia’s Strycova 5-0.

Meanwhile in another match, Julia Goerges advanced to the semifinals at the WTA Elite Trophy by beating topseeded Kristina Mladenovic 6-2, 7-6 (4) Friday.

The seventh-seeded German joins CoCo Vandeweghe, Anastasija Sevastova and Ashleigh Barty in the semi-finals.

Goerges, who only needed to win one set to advance from the Azalea group, broke Mladenovic’s serve four times.

“I really wanted to win that match,” Goerges said. “It didn’t matter if I had to win one set, but I don’t want to go out with losing the match and still being in the semifinals. I think that’s a bit weird.”

Goerges has won her last seven matches, including the title in Moscow last month. Mladenovic, meanwhile, has lost 12 matches in a row. Goerges will face Sevastova in the semifinals, while Vandeweghe will take on Barty.

Also, Peng Shuai was leading Elena Vesnina 6-2, 1-0 in the Bougainvillea group when the sixthseeded Russian retired because of a back injury. Both players had already been eliminated from contention prior to the match. US Open champion Sloane Stephens also retired from her match. She was trailing 5-0 against Barbora Strycova in the Camillea group when she stopped. —AP