CINCINNATI, OH, USA - Unseeded Julia Goerges snapped the Premier 5-level winning streak of Elina Svitolina in the third round of the Western & Southern Open on Friday, 7-5, 6-4.

The No.5 seed in Cincinnati, Svitolina had previously been 16-0 in WTA Premier 5 tournaments in 2017, with titles in Dubai, Rome and Toronto - becoming the first player in WTA history to win three in one season.

Nonetheless, it was the German who moved through to her first Premier 5 quarterfinal in style, breaking Svitolina once in the latter stages of each set, and saving all eight break points against her in the match. 

Goerges was particularly effective behind her second serve in the victory; though she only landed 51% of her first serves, the World No.37 won over 70% of the points played when she needed to hit a second serve. 

"I think it was pretty tough conditions today. It's pretty windy and it's swirling around," Goerges said, "I think it was, overall, a very good match. We both served well, so we didn't have quite a few chances. When I had the chance, I managed to make the break at the end. In both sets, I served it out pretty well.

"I'm very glad to be through to my first Premier 5 quarterfinal. I'm very glad the way I'm playing this week and in the previous weeks. I'm just looking forward to another match today."

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For a spot in the last four, Goerges will face the equally in-form Sloane Stephens, whose comeback summer continued as she rallied from a set down to oust Ekaterina Makarova, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. 

The match a rematch of the 2016 final at the ASB Classic in Auckland, won by the American, 7-5, 6-2 - as Stephens has won three of the four head-to-head meetings, with all her wins on hard courts.

"It's going to be a really tough one," Goerges said. "I just need to focus on myself, my game, and I'm going for it."