Top seeds Sabalenka, Muguruza crash out in Moscow

MOSCOW: Aryna Sabalenka and Garbine Muguruza, the top two seeds at the Kremlin Cup, slumped to straight-sets losses in the quarter-finals on Friday.

Russian world number 37 Ekaterina Alexandrova eased to a 6-3, 6-4 upset of Sabalenka for a sixth career win over a top 10 player.

Ninth seed Anett Kontaveit of Estonia continued her impressive winning form by knocking out former French Open and Wimbledon champion Muguruza 6-1, 6-1.

Kontaveit will take on Olympic silver medallist Marketa Vondrousova for a place in the final after the Czech ousted Russian number one Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-4, 6-2

Greek third seed Maria Sakkari claimed the last semi-final spot seeing off eighth-seeded Simona Halep, 6-4, 6-4.

Sakkari, who wrapped up a place in the WTA Finals on Thursday, becoming the first Greek woman to make the end-of-season showpiece, will face Alexandrova in the semi-finals.