Final four are set at WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai

Elina Svitolina from Ukraine outlasted Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain in Group B to reach semifinals of the WTA Elite Trophy Zhuhai on Friday.

   With both players beating Andrea Petkovic in their first round robin matches of the week, the winner of this one would advance to the semis. And it was Svitolina who came out and bounced back after dropping a marathon 80-minute first set -- as well as rallying from 2-0 down in the third -- to edge Navarro after two hours and 37 minutes at 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3.

   "It was such a crazy match today," Svitolina said after the match. "I was playing really well out there, and Carla was playing really well as well. It was a marathon match and really tough obviously, but I was really happy with how I played today. This is a big win."

   In a Group D match, Italian veteran Roberta Vinci lost to Anna Karolina Schmiedlova, but still qualified for the semifinals. Schmiedlova is a substitute for Caroline Wozniacki, who retired against Svetlana Kuznetsova in the previous day.

   In a Group A match, American Madison Keys defeated Chinese number one Zheng Saisai 6-3, 6-2, but Keys' efforts proved in vain as both Keys and Zheng had already lost to Venus Williams in earlier round robin matches.   

   Joining Svitolina in the final four will be Williams, Karolina Pliskova and Vinci.

   Saturday's semifinals will see Williams play against Vinci and Pliskova play against Svitolina.  Endi