Semifinals Saturday is on @TinsleyClassic in Charlottesville

Mariana Duque Marino, 2018 Boyd Tinsley Women’s Clay Court Classic

Rain delayed the start of Friday’s quarterfinals, but the action got underway just after noon and the opening matches weren’t particularly close. Jennifer Brady and Katerina Stewart both tortured each other with drop shots until Brady prevailed 6-3, 7-5. Brady faces 4 seed Mariana Duque-Marino in today’s semifinal as Duque-Marino won her third match in straight sets in 26 hours, a 6-4, 6-1 drubbing over the listless Grace Min, who played well yesterday.

The afternoon quarterfinals matches offered a little more action for the fans. Mari Osaka was a tiny giant awakened after losing the first set and down two breaks in the second set against Anhelina Kalinina. The Ukrainian, a former US Open Juniors finalist and an Australian Open Girls Doubles Champion, had a powerful forehand that started to stray, but she found her game long enough to get through the third set and the match, 6-2, 7-6(5), 7-5.

Sesil Karatantcheva raced to a 6-3 first set against Roland Garros Wild Card leader Taylor Townsend, then watched as the Houdini in Townsend made another appearance. Townsend took the second, 6-4, and then the two traded breaks in the third. By the time they were playing the third set tiebreak, the American crowd had little doubt as to who would win. Taylor won the tiebreak at 2.