Katie Boulter breezed into the quarter-finals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open with a straight-sets victory over Kyoka Okamura in Tokyo.
The world No 33 wanted simply 69 minutes to assert a dominant 6-1 6-2 success and arrange a last-eight assembly with unseeded Canadian Bianca Andreescu.
Boutler instantly broke Okamura within the opening recreation and likewise impressed on serve throughout a dominant opening set, the place she took benefit of three break factors to assert the fifth and construct up a 4-1 benefit.
The ninth seed closed out the opening set inside 28 minutes and grabbed the benefit within the second by breaking Okamura within the sixth recreation to maneuver right into a 4-2 lead, with the Brit holding serve within the subsequent earlier than breaking once more to finish a formidable win.
“I feel like I’m playing some good tennis and just trying to get through these matches,” Boulter mentioned.
Boulter – who beat Priscilla Hon within the earlier spherical – appeared to set to face a rematch in opposition to Beatriz Haddad Maia, who beat her on the Ningbo Open final week, however the Brazilian retired within the opening set of her last-16 tie and allowed Andreescu to progress to the final eight.
“I mean, she [Andreescu] is obviously an incredible fighter,” Boulter added. “She’s gained a Grand Slam. She’s enjoying some fairly rattling good tennis.
“It’s going to be a battle out there and I’m excited. It’s another opportunity. It’s on the free swing at the end of the year and I’ve got nothing to lose.”
Third seed Daria Kasatkina got here again from a set all the way down to beat American McCartney Kessler, whereas former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin wanted a final-set tie-break to see off Clara Tauson.
The winner of Kastakina’s quarter-final with Kenin on Friday will then face Boulter or Andreescu within the semi-finals, with the ultimate of the WTA 500 then going down on Sunday and reside on Sky Sports activities Tennis.
What’s arising on Sky Sports activities Tennis?
- Erste Financial institution Open, Vienna – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Swiss Indoors, Basel – ATP 500 (October 21-27)
- Guangzhou Open, China – WTA 250 (October 21-27)
- Toray Pan Pacific Open Tennis, Tokyo – WTA 500 (October 21-27)
- Hong Kong Tennis Open – WTA 250 (October 28 – November 3)
- Jiangxi Open – WTA 250 (October 28 – November 3)
- Merida Open Akron – WTA 250 (October 28 – November 3)
- Rolex Paris Masters – ATP 1000 (October 28 – November 3)
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