Kerber's 'on fire' says beaten Vinci
Defeated US Open quarter-finalist Roberta Vinci said Angelique Kerber was "on fire" after the German overcame three first set service breaks to secure a place in the last-four on Tuesday.
"She's on fire. She's won a lot of matches. She's in confidence. When the moment is tough and both players are so close, she's focused. She's in good shape. She's No. 2. So probably this is the difference between us," said the 33-year-old Vinci.
The Italian was runner-up to compatriot Flavia Pennetta in 2015 after shattering Serena Williams' bid for a calendar Grand Slam with a shock win in the semi-final.
Vinci appeared on course for another last-four spot Tuesday when she led with breaks for 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 in a tough opening set.
But the Australian Open champion hit back on each occasion, claiming a fourth break of her own to claim it 7-5.
In the second, 28-year-old Kerber allowed Vinci just 10 points and only five on her own serve, clinching the set 6-0.
Kerber hit 25 unforced errors in the match but just three of those came in the ruthlessly one-sided second set.
"She's a great player. She's confident and does not miss so many balls," said Vinci. "She runs a lot, you have to push a lot to win a point."