Halep, Muruguza Advance at Rain-Hit WTA Cincinnati Thursday
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Rain delayed matches throughout the day and put three matches on hold Thursday at the WTA stop in Cincinnati, where the five seeds in action all held firm to advance into the quarterfinals.
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No. 2-seeded Simona Halep led the seeded charge, defeating No. 15 Anastasija Sevastova 6-4, 6-3.
“The match felt quite tough — it was not easy at all,” Halep said. “I can say that I’m not playing my best tennis in this moment, but winning, even if I play less good, I think it’s a big plus for me. It gives me a little bit more power, inside, that I can handle it. I won against 15th player in the world playing not as I want. It’s a big thing, and I’m really happy about it.”
In the quarterfinals she will meet No. 7-seeded Johanna Konta, who overpowered No. 11 Dominika Cibulkova 6-3, 6-4.
No. 4-seeded Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza overcame a nemesis in No. 16 Madison Keys, outlasting the American in a match halted by rain earlier 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3).
Muguruza saved three match points in the contest.
The Spaniard will next face No. 8-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 6-4.
Former No. 1 and hot-handed No. 6 seed Caroline Wozniacki was also a winner, ending the run of Aussie qualifier Ashleigh Barty 6-4, 6-2. Wozniacki will next meet the winner of the rain-cancelled match No. 1 Karolina Pliskova vs. qualifier Camila Giorgi.
Wozniacki is 0-6 in finals in 2017.
Other rained-out matches were No. 5 Elina Svitolina vs. Julia Goerges, and wildcard Sloane Stephens vs. Ekaterina Makarova.
Scheduled for Friday in Cincinnati are (4) Muguruza vs. (8) Kuznetsova, (2) Halep vs. (7) Konta, (6) Wozniacki vs. (1) Pliskova or (Q) Giorgi, and (5) Svitolina or Goerges vs. (WC) Stephens or Makarova.
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