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Pennetta upsets No. 5 Kvitova, Halep defeats Azarenka to advance to semis

US Open quarterfinals: Flavia Pennetta defeats Petra Kvitova to advance to the semifinals.

NEW YORK – No. 26 FlaviaPennetta joins fellow countrywoman Roberta Vinci in the semifinals with a win over No. 5 Petra Kvitova and SimonaHalep defeats Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday. Catch up on the news and results from Day 10 at the U.S. Open below.

Two Italian women are into the semifinals: Forza! After Roberta Vinci defeated Kristina Mladenovic on Tuesday, No. 26 Flavia Pennetta rallied after dropping the first set to defeat No. 5 Petra Kvitova 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 in sweltering conditions on Arthur Ashe on Wednesday. Kvitova was into the fourth round at the U.S. Open for the first time and by the second set, the two-time Wimbledon champion was struggling in the hot and humid conditions. 

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"I think just from the beginning of the match I didn't really feel 100% ready today," Kvitova said after the two hour and 23-minute match. "I'm just glad that I left everything what I could today. I suffered a lot, but I'm still here."

Pennetta is into the semifinals for second time in three years at the U.S. Open and for the first time in the Open era, two Italian women are into the semifinals at a Grand Slam. Additionally, three players over 30 years old are into the women's semifinals as Pennetta, 33, joins Serena Williams, 33, and Roberta Vinci, 32.

No. 2 Simona Halep takes down Victoria Azarenka in three sets: In the second match of the day on Arthur Ashe, Simona Halep defeated No. 20 Victoria Azarenka 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 to reach her first U.S. Open semifinal. After winning the first set, Halep started to get overpowered by Azarenka, who took the second set 6–4 and took a 2–0 lead in the third set.Halep broke back at 2-1 but serving at 40-15, the match was suspended for rain. After an hour and 25 minute rain delay early in the final set, Halep pulled away winning five of the next seven games. 

"I think I played well. I believe I could have played better. I did really fight really hard, and I was trying to find solutions," Azarenka said after the match. "She played really well today. I was a little bit surprised by the pace of her ball, to be honest."

Halep converted 40 winners to 19 unforced errors on the match to Azarenka's 38 winners and 42 unforced errors. 

SNAPSHOTS FROM DAY 10

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