Shanghai, Jan 9 (AFP) Two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza stepped up her Australian Open preparations by battling into the semi-finals of the Shenzhen Open on Thursday.

Spain's former world number one defeated Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to reach her first semi-final since winning the title in Monterrey, Mexico in April last year.

The 26-year-old Muguruza, now ranked 35 in the world, faces China's Wang Qiang or Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia in the last four in southern China.

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year, begins in under a fortnight. (AFP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)