Resurgent Muguruza advances to Shenzhen semis

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 2, 2019 Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia reacts during her first round match against Spain's Garbine Muguruza REUTERS/Hannah McKay

(Reuters) - Two-times Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza advanced to the semi-finals of the Shenzhen Open with a battling 6-4 2-6 6-4 victory over Kazakhstan's Zarina Diyas on Thursday.

Spaniard Muguruza closed out the match with an ace - her 13th in the contest and her highest tally in a match in four years - and reached her first semi-final since successfully defending the Monterrey Open title in April.