Suarez Navarro prevails in Birmingham double-header
Rain has wreaked havoc with the schedule at the Aegon Classic, but Carla Suarez Navarro battled through six sets to reach the semi-finals.
Carla Suarez Navarro came through an Aegon Classic double-header to reach the semi-finals at the expense of a tired Anqelique Kerber.
Three of the players to reach the semis had to complete two matches on Friday amid a rain-affected tournament in Birmingham, with six sets apiece required to decide Suarez Navarro and Kerber's respective fates.
Having beaten Andrea Petkovic 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5), Suarez Navarro overcame Kerber – herself an earlier 5-7 6-2 6-2 winner over Daria Gavrilova – 6-4 1-6 7-5.
The Spaniard now faces Madison Keys in the last four, the American – who had just the one match to contend with – defeating Jelena Ostapenko 6-7 (1-7) 6-4 6-2.
Barbora Strycova faces Coco Vandeweghe in the other semi-final, the Czech seeing off Heather Watson and Tsvetana Pironkova in straight sets.
Vandeweghe had beaten Christina McHale, before dumping out Wickmayer, who in turn had ousted home hope Johanna Konta.