TOKYO -- Second-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reached the Pan Pacific Open semifinals by beating eighth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-3, 6-3 Friday.
Wozniacki was in control from the start, breaking her opponent three times in the opening set at Ariake Coliseum.
"It was a little like playing chess," said Wozniacki, who won the tournament in 2010. "We opened up the court and tried to outplay each other."
The US Open finalist will face Garbine Muguruza of Spain on Saturday.
"She's been playing well all week," Wozniacki said of Muguruza. "I need to make her run, take the ball early, need to serve and return well."
Muguruza, despite 10 double-faults, defeated Casey Dellacqua of Australia 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Also making the semifinals was Ana Ivanovic, who beat Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-2 for the first time since 2008.
Ivanovic had lost five straight to Safarova, but with an early break was in control of their quarterfinal at Ariake Coliseum.
Ivanovic moved on to face top-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany, who beat sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia a third straight time this year, 6-3, 6-0.
Kerber beat Ivanovic last year in the second round.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.