Halep beats Pliskova for Sydney semis spot

World No.2 Simona Halep has sealed a Sydney International semi-finals berth with a gritty straight-sets win over Karolina Pliskova.

The Romanian pocket rocket edged Pliskova 6-4 7-5 at Olympic Park on Wednesday but the Czech fifth seed and 2015 Sydney runner-up didn't make it easy, rallying from 5-1 down in the first set and almost taking top seed Halep to a tiebreak in the second.

Halep will face Svetlana Kuznetsova in the semi-finals, after the Russian beat Italy's Sara Errani 7-6 (7-1) 6-0 earlier on Wednesday.