EASTBOURNE, England — Caroline Wozniacki reached the Eastbourne semifinals for the third consecutive year by beating Andrea Petkovic in straight sets, while Agnieszka Radwanska also won easily Thursday. The second-seeded Wozniacki won 7-5, 6-1 on a hot day on the south coast, and will next play Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, who ended Johanna Konta's superb run in her home tournament with a 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Wozniacki lost in the Eastbourne semifinals in 2013 and 2014 — and lost to Bencic in their last meeting, in the last 32 at Indian Wells in March. The Dane hasn't advanced beyond the fourth round in eight attempts at Wimbledon, but is playing herself into some form on the grass of Eastbourne.
"I have played well the whole week," the former top-ranked Wozniacki said. "I returned really well today — that was a big part of my win."
Konta, a wild card, has been gaining plenty of pre-Wimbledon attention in Britain this week after collecting two wins over players in the top 20, and clinched the first set against Bencic with an ace.
The 18-year-old Bencic, watched by compatriot and five-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Hingis, dominated after that.
Radwanska, a former Wimbledon finalist, beat Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria 6-2, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of a grass event for the second time in three weeks, after doing so at Nottingham.
The ninth seed set up a match against Sloane Stephens, the American who had a walkover after Russian opponent Daria Gavrilova pulled out with a stomach injury. — AP
