Top-seeded Jessica Pegula of the U.S. beat Romanian 15th seed Irina-Camelia Begu 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 as the top four seeds advanced to the quarterfinals at the Credit One Charleston Open on Thursday in Charleston, S.C.
Joining Pegula was No. 2 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, the runner-up at Charleston last year, who eased past Caroline Dolehide 6-3, 7-5. No. 3 seed Daria Kasatkina of Russia got past American Bernarda Pera 6-3, 7-6 (3), and reigning champion Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, the fourth seed, rallied past American Shelby Rogers 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Sixth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus suffered the only upset of the afternoon schedule, as Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (5). No. 7 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia and No. 12 Paula Badosa of Spain also advanced in straight sets. Badosa will meet Pegula in the quarterfinals.
The nightcap pitted eighth seed Magda Linette of Poland against ninth seed Madison Keys of the U.S., who won this event in 2019.
Copa Colsanitas
Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia saved 10 of 15 break points and won a pair of tiebreakers to squeak past Sweden’s Mirjam Bjorklund 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) in second-round action in Bogota, Colombia.
Zidansek fell behind 2-1 in both tiebreakers before surging past her opponent each time. She overcame five double faults and broke Bjorklund’s serve five times in 10 opportunities.
Zidansek will face American 21-year-old Peyton Stearns in the quarterfinals after Stearns beat Elina Avanesyan 6-4, 6-1. Stearns is searching for her first singles title on tour.
Italy’s Nuria Brancaccio defeated Austria’s Sinja Kraus 6-2, 6-2 in 57 minutes, and No. 7 seed Sara Sorribes Tormo took care of Colombia’s Emiliana Arango 6-4, 6-3.
–Field Level Media