Halep in the hunt for No 1
Romanian star poised to take Pliskova’s perch
CINCINNATI — Secondranked Simona Halep charged closer to taking the world No 1 ranking on Thursday, beating Latvian 15th seed Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals at the ATP/WTA Cincinnati.
Romania’s Halep, a French Open runner-up for the second time in June, can overtake defending champ Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic by winning the title in the final major tuneup ahead of the US Open.
“To be No 1 in the world I think is a big thing,” Halep said. “If I deserve the place, for sure I will win it.”
Pliskova and Rafael Nadal, No 1 seeds at the tournament, never got a chance to break a sweat before play was halted by rain on Thursday.
Pliskova led Italian qualifier Camila Giorgi 3-0 when play was suspended while Nadal and compatriot Albert Ramos-Vinolas never started their third-round match before the downpour started.
Court conditions more suitable for water polo had US 14th seed John Isner, who beat teenager Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (4), 7-5, happy he snuck in a win between storms.
“I’m very happy to be off the court,” Isner said. “We could have easily, if I didn’t break at 5-all, we could be 2-all in a tiebreaker right now, not finishing. That would suck.” Halep had a tough run, too. “I’m not playing my best tennis in this moment but I’m still winning,” she said.
“I beat the 15th player in the world playing not like I want to, so I’m really happy about it.”
Halep, who won her 15th career title earlier this year at Madrid, next faces British seventh seed Johanna Konta.
Serena Williams, expected to give birth next month, had been atop the rankings after winning her 23rd career Grand Slam title at the Australian Open while pregnant.
Five matches were pushed to Friday, when double duty could come for Nadal, the 15-time Grand Slam champion who will replace Scotland’s Andy Murray at No 1 in next week’s rankings.
Nadal was assured of supplanting Murray when Roger Federer withdrew from Cincinnati with a back injury.
The 31-year-old Spaniard could meet Australian Nick Kyrgios in Friday’s quarterfinals. Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic led Kyrgios 4-3 in their halted match.
Nadal will be asked to play at 1 pm and again at 9 pm if he wins, as will the Karlovic-Kyrgios winner.
Eighth-ranked Austrian Dominic Thiem, the only other seed remaining in Nadal’s half of the draw, edged France’s Adrian Mannarino 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3). He faces Spaniard David Ferrer in the quarterfinals.
Ukraine’s fourth-ranked Elina Svitolina, who won her fifth WTA title of the year last week in Toronto to reach a career-high No 4 in the rankings, can also become No 1 on Monday if she wins the championship.
But Svitolina must face Germany’s Julia Goerges in a postponed match, then play the winner of another postponed match between American Sloane Stephens and Russian Ekaterina Makarova in a Friday double on short rest.
Konta downed Slovakian 11th seed Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 6-4, to move into the quarterfinal path of Halep.
Also reaching the quarterfinals was Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza. The sixth-ranked Spaniard saved three match points in downing 17th-ranked American Madison Keys 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3).
“You never knew who was going to win until the last point,” Muguruza said.
“I had match points against me, so it was really hard. I battled back and I’m glad things went my way.”
Muguruza has a last-eight date with eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova.
The 32-year-old Russian, a two-time Grand Slam champion, eliminated Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-4.
Bulgaria’s 11th-ranked Grigor Dimitrov won his first ATP match in six tries against Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro by 6-3, 7-5.
Dimitrov’s most recent setback had been in the first round this year at Rome.
“I lost five times against him. I know what to expect now,” Dimitrov said.
“I really needed that match. There are still a few guys I haven’t conquered yet but that will come in time.”
Dimitrov next faces Japan’s Yuichi Sugita, who rallied past Russian Karen Khachanov 6-7 (0), 6-3, 6-3.
To be No 1 in the world I think is a big thing. If I deserve the place, for sure I will win it.” Simona Halep, after reaching quarterfinals in Cincinnati