WTA Toronto: Andreescu scores heroic triumph. Svitolina, Pliskova advance
World no. 29 Sofia Kenin is through to the fourth and so far the biggest quarter-final of the season, ousting Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-2 in 57 minutes. The American lost 14 points in eight service games and had the upper hand in the pivotal moments, fending off all six break points and scoring four breaks from as many chances to march over the finish line and stay on the title course. Kenin fended off three break points in the second game of the match and grabbed 23 of the last 28 points for a 6-2, including breaks at love in games three and seven. Never finding the desired rhythm, Dayana got broken at the beginning of the second set and missed the opportunity to pull the break back in game six, allowing Sofia to win 11 of the last 14 points and book the spot in the quarter-final. Facing each other for the third time, the 6th seed Elina Svitolina ousted Belinda Bencic 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 34 minutes for the first triumph over the Swiss.
Elina gave serve away three times but that didn't cost her much, dominating on the return to create 13 chances and converting six for a rock-solid triumph. The Ukrainian earned breaks in games one and five for a 4-1 lead, losing serve in the next game before delivering another break that sent her 5-2 up, fending off a couple of break points in the eighth game for a 6-2. The similar pattern was in charge in set number two and this time Belinda fought off three match point in the eighth game to prolong the action before spraying a backhand error at 5-4 that propelled Svitolina into the quarter-final, achieving another good result after the semi-final at Wimbledon. The 3rd seed Karolina Pliskova took down Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 in swift an hour and 18 minutes for the third win over the Estonian in as many matches.
The Czech lost serve twice but she was more than safe after a reliable performance on the return, creating 11 chances and seizing four to cross the finish line in straight sets. Pliskova claimed the first set with a break in game eight, repelling two break chances in the next game to put the opener in the bag, hoping for more of the same in set number two as well. There, they stayed neck and neck until 5-5 before Pliskova moved in front with a break in game 11, sealing the deal with a hold at love for the eighth quarter-final of the season.
In another thriller, the home hero Bianca Andreescu prevailed against Kiki Bertens 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 in just over two and a half hours for another grueling triumph at only her second tournament after Miami. Bianca secured the fifth top-10 win of the season, fending off seven out of nine break points and gathering five breaks from 13 chances, wasting the match point in the second set tie break and moving over the top with a late break in the decider that carried her into the last eight.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2ZLZ1Hg
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