Osaka reaches quarterfinals at Pan Pacific Open

OSAKA, JAPAN (AP) >> Topseeded Naomi Osaka reached the quarterfinals at the Pan Pacific Open by beating qualifier Viktoriya Tomova 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Osaka, who was broken twice early in the match, is looking to win her first title in her hometown after finishing runner-up in 2016 and 2018.

She will next meet either Yulia Putintseva or Russian qualifier Varvara Flink.

Also, fourth-seeded Angelique Kerber won her first match since Wimbledon, beating American qualifier Nicole Gibbs 6-2, 6-4.

“The goal now is to finish the year as well as I can, to put all the energy which I have into this run in Asia and to play well in the next few weeks,” Kerber said.

Kerber will next face Madison Keys, who defeated Zarina Diyas 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.

“I know Madison really well, so I know what to expect,” Kerber said. “It will be interesting. We both know we have to play our best against each other.”

Elise Mertens also advanced, beating Hsieh SuWei 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.

At the Korea Open in Seoul, second-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova recovered well to beat Kristyna Pliskova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 and reach the quarterfinals.

Alexandrova will next play Kristie Ahn. The American advanced by beating Ana Bogdan of Romania 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2).

Magda Linette also reached the quarterfinals, defeating Anastasia Potapova 7-5, 7-6 (4). The fourthseeded Linette will next meet Kirsten Flipkens, who upset seventh-seeded Margarita Gasparyan 6-3, 7-5.

At the Guangzhou International in China, Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic advanced to the quarterfinals after topseeded Elina Svitolina retired due to pain in her right knee when the Ukrainian was trailing 6-4, 4-3.

Third-ranked Svitolina received medical treatment at 3-2 in the second set and then came back to hold for 3-3. But she was still struggling with her knee and after saving two of three break points at 4-3 she finally retired.

Third-seeded Sofia Kenin of the United States moved into the last eight by beating Katarina Zavatska 6-4, 6-2.

Kenin will take on qualifier Jasmine Paolini after the Italian upset sixthseeded Saisai Zheng 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.

AHN YOUNG-JOON - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia returns a shot to Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic during their second round match of the Korea Open tennis championships in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019.