Top-ranked Azarenka eases into Linz semis

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka and fifth-seeded Julia Goerges also advanced to the semifinals. Flipkens, who is ranked 66th and had to qualify for the main draw,

Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka and fifth-seeded Julia Goerges also advanced to the semifinals.

Flipkens, who is ranked 66th and had to qualify for the main draw, trailed 3-1 before winning 11 of the next 12 games.

"It's incredible that I've beaten her,'' Flipkens said. "I tried to play my own game and switched a lot between attacking and defensive shots. Then Ana started to make more mistakes. I think that was because of the way I was playing.''

Ivanovic won the tournament in 2008 and 2010. Flipkens, who won her first title in Quebec City last month, will play Goerges for a place in Sunday's final.

Azarenka reached her 10th semifinal of the season by defeating Petra Martic of Croatia 6-2, 6-2. Azarenka won the first 10 points to build a 4-0 lead.

"I feel like I adjusted really well,'' said Azarenka, who had never played Martic before.

Azarenka has not dropped a set in 11 consecutive matches. She won in Beijing last week and pulled out in the quarterfinals at Tokyo the week before.

"Every day I have to push myself,'' Azarenka said. "It's not easy, even when it seems easy out there on court.''

Azarenka will next play either Bethanie Mattek-Sands of the United States or Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania.

Goerges beat Sofia Arvidsson of Sweden 6-1, 6-4.