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Viktoria Hruncakova upset sixth seed Bianca Andreescu in their round-of-16 meeting at the Libema Open on Thursday. The Slovakian won 7-6(6), 6-3 in an hour and 57 minutes. En route to her win, Hruncakova had to save nine set points in the opening set.
In total, Hruncakova faced 16 break points of which she saved 14. She went on to convert three of seven break points on the Canadian’s serve. Fifteen of these 16 break points came in the first set for the 25-year-old, ranked 102nd in the world.
In the quarter-finals, Hruncakova will now play Ashlyn Krueger. The American upset third seed Victoria Azarenka 6-3, 6-2 in just an hour and 13 minutes in their second-round match on Wednesday.
Libema Open: Seeded entrants don't disappoint
On Wednesday, top seed Veronika Kudermetova also made her way into the quarter-finals.
The world no. 10 defeated Canadian qualifier Carol Zhao 6-1, 6-3 in 70 minutes. Swiss Celine Naef will be Kudermetova’s next rival. The wildcard won her second consecutive comeback match against eighth seed Cathy McNally.
Naef won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 against the American after two hours and four minutes of play. This is another career first for the 17-year-old who will celebrate her 18th birthday two weeks later, on 25th June. This is the first time the teenager’s reached the quarters of a WTA tournament.
Fourth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, who’s returning to play the event as the defending champ also made her way into the quarter-finals on Thursday. Alexandrova beat Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 7-6(3). Her next opponent will be American qualifier Emina Bektas.
Bektas won against compatriot Sachia Vickery 6-4, 6-4. Aliaksandra Sasnovich, the seventh seed also moved into the quarters with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Greet Minnen in their second-round match. Looking to reach the Libema Open semi-finals, Sasnovich will now play second seed Liudmila Samsonova. Samsonova won against Polina Kudermetova, Veronika’s younger sister, 6-4, 6-1.