Takeaways: Eala, Wang Xinyu set Auckland semifinal showdown

Two players looking to win their first WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz singles title will face off in the semifinals of the ASB Classic after No. 5 seed Alexandra Eala and No. 7 seed Wang Xinyu won their quarterfinal matches in straight sets on Friday.

Auckland: Scores | Schedule | Draws

For the first time in three career head-to-head meetings, Eala was a winner over Magda Linette, the No. 4 seed, 6-3, 6-2 while Wang advanced to the final four when Francesca Jones retired due to a right thigh injury while trailing 6-4, 4-3, 30-0.

Each woman will be bidding for a place in her second career tour-level singles final when they face off for the first time, having each played for a trophy during last summer's grass-court season.

Eala keeps cruising after early test: Eala began her first-ever appearance trailing Donna Vekic by a set in the first round before coming back to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Since then, she's lost just seven games. She defeated Petra Marcinko in the quarterfinals 6-0, 6-2 before beating Linette in 1 hour and 37 minutes -- a match in which she only trailed 1-0 after the opening game.

Eala was particularly impressive on return against Linette, creating 14 break-point chances in victory. She converted six -- and saved five of the seven she faced -- in the clean victory, in which she won eight of nine games at one stage.

"I do what I can and if I see and opening, I think it's important I go for it. Magda is such an experienced player and I had difficulties playing against her before, so I'm just happy to see my level increase and improve."

Wang seeking semifinal redemption: Wang also rallied from a set down in her first-round win -- against American Caty McNally -- and hasn't dropped a set since. The World No. 57 broke serve early in both sets against Jones, who battled throughout despite increasing struggles with her leg throughout the contest. 

While Eala and Linette played as recently as last summer, the meeting between Jones and Wang was notable as they last played as juniors, nearly a decade ago at Wimbledon.

The 24-year-old Shenzhen native hopes to break a string of futility in hard-court semifinals when she faces Eala. A runner-up in Berlin on grass last summer, Wang is otherwise 0-8 in tour-level semifinals, all of which have been played on hard courts. And in those matches, she's only won one set.

A recent first at stake: While Eala makes history everywhere she goes as the only Filipina to currently hold a position in the PIF WTA Rankings, Wang is hoping to make some recent history for China at the storied WTA 250. The only Chinese player to ever reach the singles final is former Grand Slam semifinalist Zheng Jie, who won the 2012 title.