TOKYO: Aliaksandra Sasnovich produced the biggest upset of the Pan Pacific Open on Thursday, ousting third-seeded Karolina Pliskova in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals.
Sasnovich, of Belarus, beat the U.S. Open finalist 6-4, 6-2 for her first win over a top-10 player. She will face local favorite Naomi Osaka in the next round.
"I was expecting now to be going to Wuhan for the next tournament because I know Karolina is a really good player and I didn't expect to win today," Sasnovich said. "But, you know, it's life and it's tennis. The ball is round."
Top-seeded Garbine Muguruza also advanced with a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 win over Anastasija Sevastova.
Muguruza, who lost to Sevastova in the second round of the U.S. Open, broke her opponent five times to set up a quarterfinal with Elina Svitolina. She beat eighth-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (5), 6-4.
"Maybe there was a little bit of pressure," Muguruza said. "But I'm so happy that I came back as top seed, because it means that I'm improving and hopefully I can be in the final."
Also, Magda Linette saved two match points to defeat Yulia Putintseva 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Jankovic sails
Defending champion Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Germany's Sabine Lisicki in the quarterfinals of the WTA Guangzhou International Women's Open Thursday, getting her a step closer to the $226,750 top prize.
Second seed and former world No.1 Jankovic beat 2013 Wimbledon finalist Lisicki 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to advance to Friday's semifinals, where she will face third seeded Croatian Ana Konjuh.
The tournament's two US players took a beating, with Konjuh knocking out American Jennifer Brady 6-4, 7-5 and Ukranian Lesia Tsurenko securing a win over fifth seed Alison Riske 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a match that lasted nearly two hours.
Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland, fresh off a surprise win 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-4 against top seed Sara Errani that had shot her into the quarter-finals the night before, couldn't recreate the magic, losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, listed as 129th in the WTA singles rankings.
Cepelova in last 8
Jana Cepelova of Slovakia on Thursday advanced to the Korea Open quarterfinals after beating the top seed and defending champion Irina-Camelia Begu.
Cepelova, currently the world No. 102, defeated the world 23 Begu, who had won two titles at the Korea Open, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in 125 minutes.
Cepelova previously made it into the semi-finals at the WTA Tokyo last week before being ousted by Christina McHale in the final.
The 23-year-old Slovak also beat Begu in the two ladies' first and previous match at the qualifiers to the 2013 US Open.
Begu was seeking redemption after suffering four consecutive first-round exits, including at the Rio Olympics and the US Open, since winning the title at the WTA Florianopolis in July.
Cepelova will next play Monica Niculescu from Romania.
Wawrinka wins
Top seeded US Open champion Stan Wawrinka made a successful Saint Petersburg Open debut Wednesday, cruising comfortably into the last eight by beating Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic.
Wawrinka prevailed 6-3, 6-1 in just 57 minutes to record his sixth win over Rosol in as many meetings.
The world number three raced through the first set, courtesy of service breaks in the fifth and ninth games.
The 31-year-old was checked in the first game of the second set when he was trailing 0-40, but the Swiss star rallied to produce two more breaks to seal the set and the match.
Fourth seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut battled back from a set down to advance into the quarter-finals by beating Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
Joao Sousa of Portugal, seeded eighth, also overcame a one-set deficit to beat Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot in a tough three-setter 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 on his way to the second round.
Seventh seed Serb Viktor Troicki experienced few troubles in his opening round match seeing off Portugal's Gastao Elias 6-1, 6-2.
Sousa will next face Russian wildcard Andrey Rublev, while Troicki takes on compatriot Dusan Lajovic.
Sasnovich, of Belarus, beat the U.S. Open finalist 6-4, 6-2 for her first win over a top-10 player. She will face local favorite Naomi Osaka in the next round.
"I was expecting now to be going to Wuhan for the next tournament because I know Karolina is a really good player and I didn't expect to win today," Sasnovich said. "But, you know, it's life and it's tennis. The ball is round."
Top-seeded Garbine Muguruza also advanced with a comfortable 6-3, 6-3 win over Anastasija Sevastova.
Muguruza, who lost to Sevastova in the second round of the U.S. Open, broke her opponent five times to set up a quarterfinal with Elina Svitolina. She beat eighth-seeded Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-6 (5), 6-4.
"Maybe there was a little bit of pressure," Muguruza said. "But I'm so happy that I came back as top seed, because it means that I'm improving and hopefully I can be in the final."
Also, Magda Linette saved two match points to defeat Yulia Putintseva 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Jankovic sails
Defending champion Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Germany's Sabine Lisicki in the quarterfinals of the WTA Guangzhou International Women's Open Thursday, getting her a step closer to the $226,750 top prize.
Second seed and former world No.1 Jankovic beat 2013 Wimbledon finalist Lisicki 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to advance to Friday's semifinals, where she will face third seeded Croatian Ana Konjuh.
The tournament's two US players took a beating, with Konjuh knocking out American Jennifer Brady 6-4, 7-5 and Ukranian Lesia Tsurenko securing a win over fifth seed Alison Riske 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 in a match that lasted nearly two hours.
Viktorija Golubic of Switzerland, fresh off a surprise win 6-7 (7/9), 6-3, 6-4 against top seed Sara Errani that had shot her into the quarter-finals the night before, couldn't recreate the magic, losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to Anett Kontaveit of Estonia, listed as 129th in the WTA singles rankings.
Cepelova in last 8
Jana Cepelova of Slovakia on Thursday advanced to the Korea Open quarterfinals after beating the top seed and defending champion Irina-Camelia Begu.
Cepelova, currently the world No. 102, defeated the world 23 Begu, who had won two titles at the Korea Open, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in 125 minutes.
Cepelova previously made it into the semi-finals at the WTA Tokyo last week before being ousted by Christina McHale in the final.
The 23-year-old Slovak also beat Begu in the two ladies' first and previous match at the qualifiers to the 2013 US Open.
Begu was seeking redemption after suffering four consecutive first-round exits, including at the Rio Olympics and the US Open, since winning the title at the WTA Florianopolis in July.
Cepelova will next play Monica Niculescu from Romania.
Wawrinka wins
Top seeded US Open champion Stan Wawrinka made a successful Saint Petersburg Open debut Wednesday, cruising comfortably into the last eight by beating Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic.
Wawrinka prevailed 6-3, 6-1 in just 57 minutes to record his sixth win over Rosol in as many meetings.
The world number three raced through the first set, courtesy of service breaks in the fifth and ninth games.
The 31-year-old was checked in the first game of the second set when he was trailing 0-40, but the Swiss star rallied to produce two more breaks to seal the set and the match.
Fourth seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut battled back from a set down to advance into the quarter-finals by beating Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
Joao Sousa of Portugal, seeded eighth, also overcame a one-set deficit to beat Moldovan qualifier Radu Albot in a tough three-setter 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 on his way to the second round.
Seventh seed Serb Viktor Troicki experienced few troubles in his opening round match seeing off Portugal's Gastao Elias 6-1, 6-2.
Sousa will next face Russian wildcard Andrey Rublev, while Troicki takes on compatriot Dusan Lajovic.
