Romanian tennis player Mihaela Buzărnescu has qualified to the semi-finals of the WTA tournament in Hobart (Australia) with total prizes of USD 226,750, after defeating Alison Riske 7-6 (5), 6-1 on Thursday.
Buzărnescu (29, 57th WTA) thus reaches her second semi-final of her career, after Linz last year.
She will climb from the 55th to 47th WTA position, right in front of Maria Sharapova, which starts the Australian Open from the 48th WTA position.
Buzărnescu has secured a cheque of USD 11,500 and 110 WTA points, and will play in the next round against Ukrainian Lesia Turenko (28, 43rd WTA). In the other semi-final will play Heather Watson (Great Britain) against Elise Mertens (Belgium).
Romanian tennis player Monica Niculescu had to withdraw from Hobart International before the quarter-finals match with Belgian Elise Mertens, second favourite, due to an injury at the throat.