TORONTO, Canada - No.3 seed Karolina Pliskova is into the second Rogers Cup quarterfinal of her career after a solid performance against Anett Kontaveit.

After fighting through a grueling two-hour match in the previous round against the tireless Alison Riske, Pliskova was all business against Kontaveit on Centre Court, claiming the 6-2, 7-5 victory in just over an hour. 

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“Well, for sure [my game is] better than it was maybe yesterday,” Pliskova told press after the match. “So I guess it's going to get better every day with what I play. And I always was, I am, improving with matches, which I have. 

“I played some doubles here. I still have doubles today. So I guess that everything helped. And I was practicing quite a lot, but still matches is different. I mean, yesterday was not perfect, but it was not bad for first match on hard court. Today much better.”

Pliskova got off to a rocky start against Kontaveit, who authored a thrilling opening round upset over Maria Sharapova, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. The 23-year-old Estonian brought all the same firepower today, and was rewarded with an early break for a 2-11 lead. 

But the former World No.1 across the net responded emphatically, breaking to love in the very next game and getting them back on level terms, 2-2. They stayed toe-to-toe across the next few games, before Pliskova dialled up the pressure on Kontaveit and broke through at 5-3 to claim the opening set. 

Pliskova extended her romp to five games in a row when she opened the second set with a 2-0 lead, looking set to run away with the match. But Kontaveit had other ideas and, spurred on by a motivating coaching time out, raised her level to break back at 2-2. They were still deadlocked through the tense six games that followed, before Kontaveit finally blinked. Pliskova converted her fourth break chance of the game to take a 6-5 lead, and served it out to love to book a spot into the next round.


The win puts her through to her second straight quarterfinal in Toronto, but should she go one round further and reach her first semifinal in Canada, the possibility of an even sweeter prize awaits. 

Due in part to Ashleigh Barty’s opening loss against Sofia Kenin, the WTA World No.1 ranking is set to change hands come Monday. Pliskova and Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka are the top two contenders, however the Czech player can clinch the top spot with a victory tomorrow should Osaka fail to reach the quarterfinals.

Up next, Pliskova will face either Canada’s Bianca Andreescu or No.4 seed Kiki Bertens in the next round. 

Up next, Pliskova will face either Canada’s Bianca Andreescu or No.4 seed Kiki Bertens in the next round. 

“For sure [Bertens] is a fighter,” Pliskova assessed. “She's defending well. She has some good spins. I think here it can be dangerous because the ball jumps and it flies. And she can serve well. 

“But I have also some shots. I have serve. I have my forehand. So I feel like the fast game here, it can be working. So let's see. 

“And, of course, Andreescu, we never played, not even practice, not even anything. So I just saw her a little bit on TV. So it would be interesting, of course challenging, to play her here in Canada.”