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Alize Cornet and Kaia Kanepi went toe-to-toe against each for three hours and 17 minutes at the Prague Open on Thursday before the Frenchwoman pulled ahead with the win. The sixth seed claimed a 7-6(1), 5-7, 6-4 victory in their second-round clash en route to advancing to the quarter-finals.
Cornet won 66% of her first-serve points to the Estonian’s 59%. She won 30% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 34%. Cornet saved 10 of the 18 break points she faced and converted eight break points on Kanepi’s serve.
In the deciding set, Cornet saved three of four break points she faced while converting both break points, she had on her opponent’s serve. In the quarter-finals, the 33-year-old will play Tamara Korpatsch. The German qualifier made it through to the quarters after her opponent, Yanina Wickmayer while being 4-0 down in their second-round match.
Prague Open: Linda Noskova, Tereza Martincova wave the Czech flag higher
Meanwhile, the highest seed left in the draw and home player, Linda Noskova also made her way into the quarter-finals. The fourth seed defeated Indian Ankita Raina in an hour and 57 minutes.
Raina, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, won the first set 6-1 but Noskova posted a comeback 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 win in the end. Looking to keep the home hopes high and reach the semi-finals, Noskova will take on Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
The Slovakian upset ninth seed Xiyu Wang 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) in two hours and 49 minutes. Eighth seed Kateryna Baindl reached the quarter-finals after her opponent Jule Niemeier retired in their match, on Wednesday. The Ukrainian led the German 5-0 in the first set before the latter stopped play.
Baindl’s next opponent is Jaqueline Cristian who won 6-4, 6-3 against Emiliana Arango. Tereza Martincova and Nao Hibino set up the fourth quarter-final at the Prague Open. The Czech came from a set down against Yue Yuan in two hours and four minutes to clinch a 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 win.
Hibino won against Viktoria Hruncakova, 6-1, 7-5 in an hour and 39 minutes. Photo Credit: Alize Cornet Twitter