Google News Strasbourg International: Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber claim last-eight spots
by ABBEY JOHNSON
There were no upsets on Wednesday at the Strasbourg International as the rest of the second-round matches were played. The two top-seeds Karolina Pliskova and Angelique Kerber were also among those who reached the quarter-finals.
Pliskova, who’s heading the field in the French city, defeated Bernarda Pera, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 in an hour and 34 minutes. The Czech won 64% of her first-serve points to the American’s 62% and 60% of her second-serve points to the latter’s 50%.
She saved 12 of the 15 break points she faced while converting four breaks on Pera’s serve. For a place in the semi-finals, Pliskova will play Maryna Zanevska. Zanevska had previously come from a set down to defeat French local, Harmony Tan, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1.
Strasbourg International: Angelique Kerber fights into the QF
Meanwhile, Kerber, the second seed, also needed three sets to quell a challenge from Aliaksandra Sasnovich. The German needed an hour and 55 minutes to post a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 win.
Sasnovich won a higher margin of first-serve points as compared to the German – 69% to the latter’s 57% but was pegged back by the points she won off her second serves – 37% to Kerber’s 42%. Also, Kerber was also able to save more break points as compared to Sasnovich, 10 to the latter’s three that eventually helped her claim victory.
In the quarters, the former world no. 1 will play Magda Linette. Fourth seed Elise Mertens also booked a place in the quarter-finals with a 7-5, 7-5 win over Anna-Lena Friedsam. The Belgian will play Kaja Juvan. The Slovenian stopped Bosnian Nefisa Berberovic, winning their second-round match, 6-2, 6-3.
Lastly, ninth seed Viktorija Golubic and Oceane Dodin will meet each other in the quarter-finals of the Strasbourg International. The Swiss got past Fiona Ferro, 6-4, 6-2 in the round-of-16 while Dodin ousted Ekaterina Makarova, 6-2, 6-1 in their pre-quarterfinal clash.