WTA Lugano: Pliskova, Lapko, Voegele and Swiatek reach the last eight
While her sister is taking some well-deserved rest, Kristyna Pliskova is through to her first WTA quarter-final since Nurnberg last May following a 6-2, 6-4 victory over a qualifier Antonia Lottner in an hour and 15 minutes. Firing ten aces, the Czech lost just 13 points in nine service games, dropping serve once from two chances offered to Lottner and keeping the pressure on her rival all the time. The German struggled more behind the initial shot, giving away 46% of the points and playing against ten break chances, with Pliskova scoring four breaks to march over the finish line and enter the last eight.
Trailing 2-1, Kristyna claimed five games in a row to secure the opener, breaking in games five and seven and holding at 15 at 5-2 for a commanding lead. Lottner had an early lead in set number two but that didn't last for long, as Pliskova broke back in game three and again at 3-3 for the crucial lead that carried her over the finish line after an excellent hold in game ten. The 17-year-old Iga Swiatek advanced into her maiden WTA quarter-final with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 triumph against the 3rd seed Viktoria Kuzmova in an hour and 47 minutes. The Slovakian won 85% of the points behind the first serve and fired 11 aces, struggling on the second serve and getting broken three times.
On the other hand, the youngster controlled her shots nicely, fending off six out of seven break chances and recovering from that second set to grab the last four games in the decider and stay on the title course. The 8th seed Vera Lapko took down Evgeniya Rodina 6-2, 6-0 in 51 minutes, dominating on both serve and return for one of the most one-sided wins on the Tour so far for the 20-year-old. Vera lost serve once although that was nothing in comparison to what she did on the return, taking more than 60% of the points behind Rodina's initial shot for six breaks and 11 straight games for the place in the quarters.
In the Swiss clash, Stefanie Voegele destroyed Viktorija Golubic 6-1, 6-1 in under an hour, clinching mind-blowing 70% of the return points for six breaks of serve and strings of the match firmly in her hands from start to finish. In a much longer encounter, Veronika Kudermetova prevailed against the 7th seed Rebecca Peterson 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 in two hours and 27 minutes, creating no less than 19 break chances and converting just four to keep the Swede in contention. Peterson saved three match points in the eighth game of the decider, breaking back in the following game before losing the tie break 7-2, missing the opportunity for a complete comeback.
from Tennis World USA http://bit.ly/2IxRtSG
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