MONTREAL, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska's
hopes of claiming the world's top ranking this week were dashed
after she suffered a crushing 6-2 6-1 loss to China's Li Na in
the quarter-finals of the Montreal Cup on Saturday.
While Radwanska cruised by South African Chanelle Scheepers
in a last-16 match completed earlier on Saturday, she found the
former French Open champion far too good as she crashed out of a
tournament she needed to win to claim the world's top ranking.
Heavy rain that limited play on Friday forced Radwanska, Li
and several others to play two matches on Saturday and the
23-year-old world number three said it hindered her play.
“"The first match cost me a lot of power. It was very hot
conditions out there," Radwanska told reporters. "“But anyway,
of course, she had the same situation. She was just playing too
good. Li Na was just playing unbelievable tennis today."
Given Victoria Azarenka's withdrawal on Friday with a knee
injury, Radwanska would have unseated the Belarusian as the top
women's player had she won the Montreal title.
"“I just hope ... I will have more opportunity, you know, to
be number one," said Radwanska. "I'm going to fight for that
every week."
Li, who had earlier beaten 2012 French Open finalist Sara
Errani 6-4 6-2, will play either Czech Lucie Safarova or Italy's
Roberta Vinci in a semi-final on Sunday.
Vinci, who enjoyed a 6-0 6-0 win over former world number
won Ana Ivanovic in the second round, continued her good form
with a 6-2 7-6 upset win over sixth seed Angelique Kerber in the
third round on Saturday.
In other last-16 action, 20-year-old wildcard Aleksandra
Wozniak defeated American Christina McHale 7-6 6-3 to become the
first Canadian woman in 20 years to reach the quarter-finals of
her country's national open.
The top-ranked Canadian and world number 55 was forced to
wait for her special moment as she was serving for the match
when rain halted play on Friday.
The 24-year-old will play former world number one Caroline
Wozniacki in the last match on Saturday.
The Dane's progression was more difficult against Varvara
Lepchenko as she needed two hours and 30 minutes to defeat the
New York-based Lepchenko 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Both players squandered chances to break serve early in the
third set before Wozniacki claimed the crucial advantage when
Lepchenko overhit a forehand when serving at 4-4.
"“It is difficult when it is against a left-hander but I
kept fighting and I kept my head cool," said Wozniacki.
Tamira Paszek thrashed Carla Suarez Navarro 6-3 6-0 to reach
the last eight. She now plays Petra Kvitova, one of only two
players to finish third round matches on Friday.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue)