Dual Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is closing in on a second Brisbane International crown after ending the giantkilling run of American qualifier Jennifer Brady.

Kvitova made light work of the 24-year-old Brady, who had eliminated Maria Sharapova and Ashleigh Barty on her way to Friday’s quarter-final, with the Czech world No.7 claiming a 6-4 6-2 win.

The 2011 Brisbane champion faces another American, 2017 US Open finalist Madison Keys, in Saturday’s semi-finals at Pat Rafter Arena.

Kvitova revealed she had seen a photo of her from her 2011 triumph earlier in the day and it had brought home how career-defining that success had been for the 29-year-old.

“When I see that photo I do remember that great season I had, which I won at Wimbledon and the WTA Finals in the end of the year, so it was a great season from it,” she said.

“It was my first big tournament and, yeah, it was a good one.”

Keys was the first woman into the semi-finals on Friday, claiming a comfortable 6-4 6-1 win over compatriot Danielle Collins.

The victory over world No.27 Collins lifts Keys up to No.11 on the rankings and she heads into Saturday’s semi-final with a 3-3 head-to-head career record against Kvitova.

“Petra is Petra. Great serve, great forehand,” Keys said.

“It seems like every year she comes out and she’s gotten something else in her game a little bit better and it just makes her even tougher to play.”

Reigning Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka is also into the last four after coming through a three-set tussle with Dutch world No.9 Kiki Bertens.

The Japanese third seed claimed the first set before Bertens recovered to take the match into a decider.

However Osaka dominated the third set to secure a 6-3 3-6 6-3 win and her second semi-final berth in Brisbane after reaching the last four in 2019.

The world No.4 will meet either defending champion and second seed Karolina Pliskova or unseeded American Alison Riske for a spot in Sunday’s decider.