CHARLESTON, SC, USA - Kristyna Pliskova caught fire late in her third round clash with two-time Volvo Car Open runner-up Elena Vesnina, outlasting the Russian veteran, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2, to reach her second WTA quarterfinal of 2018.
Twin sister to former World No.1 Karolina, Pliskova caused one of the first big upsets of the week when she recovered from a set down to dispatch No.2 seed and countrywoman Petra Kvitova in the second round. Against Vesnina, she enjoyed a much strong start, breaking serve behind a double fault and serving out the first set with relative ease.
Vesnina has played some of her best tennis on green clay, finishing runner-up to Sloane Stephens at this very tournament in 2016, and raced through the second set to level the match.
The pair traded efficient service holds to kick off the decider - just one point won by the receiver in the first five games - but it was Vesnina who blinked first, and Pliskova ran away with the match after one hour and 40 minutes on Althea Gibson Clubcourt.
A high quality match throughout, the duo hit a combined 62 winners to 37 unforced errors, with Pliskova striking five aces to Vesnina's four.
Awaiting the big-serving Czech star in the quarterfinals is No.8 seed Anastasija Sevastova, who dismissed Aussie Ashleigh Barty earlier in the day.
More to come...
