Arina Rodionova has continued her rich vein of form to advance to her first career WTA quarterfinal at the Jiangxi Open in Nanchang, China.
Nanchang, Jiangxi, China, 27 July 2017 | AAP
The 27-year-old beat hometown hope Liu Fangzhou 6-4 6-2 to advance to her first WTA quarterfinal.
There she will face Han Xinyun – her third Chinese opponent in a row – after Han beat fourth seed Wang Qiang in three sets.
Third seed Kristyna Pliskova overcame Su Jeong Jang 6-3 7-6(4) to reach the last 16.
Pliskova, twin sister of world No.1 Karolina, clinched victory on a second set tiebreak after Jang had saved three match points.
Both Pliskova and rising Taiwanese star Hsieh Su-wei are on the opposite side of the draw to Rodionova, meaning she would not meet either of them until the final.
Tereza Martincova, of the Czech Republic, beat Russia’s Alla Kudryavtseva 7-5 2-6 6-4.