February 23, 2017 – DUBAI, UAE:  Anastasija Sevastova became the first player to advance to the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships as she claimed a   6-4 7-5 win over Qiang Wang. After losing in the qualifying rounds in 2016 the Latvian is now just two matches away from claiming her first title since 2010.

Wang, who is the first Chinese player to advance to the quarter-finals since Li Na in 2010, fought off two break points in the opening game and then broke to love to lead 3-1, but she was unable to maintain her advantage as Sevastova immediately broke back and then broke again to lead 5-4 before serving out for the set.

Sevastova continued to hold the upper hand in the second set, breaking to lead 2-1, and although she failed to serve out for the match at 5-4 she broke again for 6-5 and this time finished the job.

'I think I mixed up pretty well against her,' said Sevastova, who last season at the US Open became the first player from her country to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam since Larisa Neiland contested the Wimbledon quarters in 1994. 'I mean, she's very solid. She started very well, but I got into my game. I started mixing it up with some stops, some lobs, just not giving her this rhythm, like every time hitting cross, cross, cross. And I think that was the key. Yeah, I returned pretty well too, I think.' 

'We congratulate Anastasija Sevastova on reaching the semi-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships,' said Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, the tournament owners and organisers. 'She was forced to retire from professional tennis in 2013 due to injury and took up leisure management studies before returning to the WTA Tour in 2015. We are delighted that her return to the game has been so successful and wish her well for the future.'

Tournament director Salah Tahlak added, 'We have an intriguing mix of both experienced competitors and rising stars of the game as we get ever closer to discovering who our 2017 champion will be. It is certain to be a fascinating finale to the week as we wait to see who can emerge as the winner. We have many top players competing in the doubles too, including the legendary Martina Hingis as well as Olympic champions Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina, free to watch on the outside courts.'

Play in the WTA event continues until 25th February, and the tournament continues between 27th February and 4th March with the 25th staging of the ATP World Tour event which includes Wimbledon, Olympic and ATP World Tour Finals champion and world number one Andy Murray, Australian Open champion and seven-time Dubai winner Roger Federer, defending Dubai champion Stan Wawrinka, two-time Dubai finalist Tomas Berdych and the entertaining Gael Monfils.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and 'organised by Dubai Duty Free, and held under the patronage of H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Tickets are still available from the Box Office at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which opens from 9am to 9pm daily.