Top seed Simona Halep will play Elina Svitolina in the Qatar Open semi-finals after battling past Germany’s Julia Gorges in straight sets.

Romanian world number three Halep beat Gorges 7-6 (7-1) 7-6 (8-6) while Ukrainian fourth seed Svitolina, the world number eight, brushed aside Czech qualifier Karolina Muchova 6-4 6-2.

Elsewhere, Angelique Kerber beat Czech Barbora Strycova 1-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4).

The German will play Kiki Bertens or Elise Mertens in the last four.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Kerber – who will play in her first semi-final since winning Wimbledon in July – said: “We have played so many times against each other.

“You never know what to expect, if she is playing serve and volley or just moving, playing fast.

“It was a really close match, and I think just one, two points decide the match.”

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