Google News
The 7th seed Madison Keys will play in the quarter-final in Charleston after a 6-4 6-3 win over Camila Giorgi in an hour and 17 minutes. This was the fifth meeting between the two and the third triumph for the American, firing eight aces and fending off five out of seven break points to keep the pressure on Giorgi.
The Italian lost 45% of the points behind his serve and she had to play against 10 break chances, dropping serve four times to end her run in the third round. Madison scored her first break in game four and she saved a break point in the following game to open up a 4-1 lead.
She broke again in game six to move a game away from the set before Camila started to climb back, earning breaks in games seven and nine to reduce her deficit to 5-4. She served in game 10 to complete the turnover and level the score at 5-5 but Keys grabbed her third break to close the set 6-4 and avoid further struggle and a possible tie break.
Just like in the opener, Madison scored a break in the fourth game of set number two and she fends off four break chances in game five to move 4-1 ahead. Giorgi managed to save two match points on serve in game eight but Madison completed the win with an ace in game nine for the place in the quarters.
The 5th seed Julia Goerges toppled Indian Wells champion Naomi Osaka 7-6 6-3 in an hour and 30 minutes to join Madison in the last eight. The Japanese came to Charleston with fatigue after playing so much tennis in the recent weeks and she sprayed too many errors against another hard hitter who had more winners and fewer errors to clinch the win in straight sets.
The young Japanese served at 72% but that didn't bring her much, losing 44% of the points in her games and suffering four breaks of serve. Goerges also faced eight break points but she managed to save five of those, overcoming the first set deficit and bringing the match home with a break in the eight game of set number two.
The first set lasted for an hour and Osaka made the better start, breaking Julia in game two for a 4-1 lead. She lost the advantage when the German pulled the break back in game seven but Naomi grabbed another break for a 5-3, serving for the set in the following game.
It wasn't to be for her, though, as Goerges broke back to stay in contention, sending the set into a tie break after three straight holds at love on both sides. Osaka had an early mini-break but she couldn't keep it for long, and Goerges served well to bring the breaker home 7-4 with her second mini-break in the eight point.
The second set was more fluid and they traded breaks in games two and three, staying close to each other until game seven when Naomi wasted a break point that could turn the match into her favor. She paid the price a few minutes later when Julia broke her for a 5-3 lead, sealing the deal with a hold at 15 in game nine for her first win over the Japanese in their second meeting. Third round results:
ALSO READ: ATP ANALYSIS: Ferrero shines on return to beat Coria in Monte Carlo '03