Defending champion Samantha Stosur continued her quest for a third title after defeating Yulia Putintseva 6-4 6-1 to advance to the semifinals at the sixth edition of the Japan Women's Open in Osaka.

The 2011 U.S. Open champion have the reached the finals of the tournament three times where she first won in the inaugural event in 2009 against Italian Francesca Schiavone and last year when she defeated Eugenie Bouchard in three sets.

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The 30-year-old Australian is set to face up and coming Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina who defeated eighth seeded American Lauren Davis in straight sets 6-4 6-1.

Svitolina, 20, made an impact last August at the Cincinnati Masters where she shocked Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in two sets 6-2 7(7)-6(2). She also defeated Angelique Kerber in the inaugural Wuhan Open in China en route to the semifinals where she lost to eventual champion Kvitova.

In the other quarterfinal matchups, fifth seeded Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan overcame a first set loss to win over Croatian Ana Konjuh in three sets 6(4)-7(7) 6-4 6-2.

The Kazakh star will battle it out against Thailand's Luksika Kumkhum who eliminated seventh seeded American Christina McHale in the first round and won over second seeded Madison Keys who retired hurt while trailing 6-2 4-3 in their quarterfinal clash.

In the doubles competition, top seeded Chan sisters, Hao-ching and Yung-jan of Chinese Taipei were eliminated in the semifinals by the tandem of Japan's Shuko Aoyama and Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic.

The Japanese-Czech pair is waiting for the winner of the matchup between fourth seeds Darija Jurak and Megan Moulton-Levy, and Lara Arruabarrena and Tatjana Maria.

The defending champions were Kristina Mladenovic of France and Italian Flavia Pennetta who are no longer teammates.

Mladenovic partnered with Klaudia Jans-Ignacik of Poland and were second seeds in the event but lost their opening matchup against Arruabarrena and Maria while Pennetta is playing alongside Martina Hingis at the inaugural Tianjin Open in China.

TagsSamantha Stosur, Elina Svitolina, Angelique Kerber