This content was published 4 years ago. It may refer to a past edition of the Internazionali d’Italia.

Garbine Muguruza recovered from a set and a break down to outlast Victoria Azarenka in a thrilling three-set encounter on Court Pietrangeli and book her spot in the last four.

The Spaniard continued her impressive form in 2020, outlasting Azarenka 3-6 6-3 6-4 in two hours 21 minutes to set up a semi-final clash against top seed Simona Halep.

Some pulsating tennis ensued in the first set as the two players pummelled groundstrokes from the baseline. They both had chances to break – Muguruza in the third and fifth games and Azarenka in the fourth – but it was the Belarusian who took her opportunity, capitalising when Muguruza sent a forehand long and then winning five points on the trot to open up a 4-1 lead. The single break remained enough for world No.14 as she took the opener 6-3 after 48 minutes.

The ability to hold serve became a rarity in the second set as the players recorded seven breaks of serve in nine games. Muguruza, who was beginning to find her range and come forward more, was the first to hold and edged ahead 4-2. Her opponent’s serving woes continued – she was unable to hold throughout the second set – giving up another service game in the eighth game to put the set out of reach.

No one was able to take command of the third set and another five breaks of serve were recorded. The quality ebbed and flowed throughout the set but it was Muguruza who was the fresher player, growing in confidence as the match neared its conclusion and taking the victory as Azarenka, who had won 13 of her last 14 matches coming into this match, netted a backhand.