No. 1 seed Ann Li defeated Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday to move into the quarterfinals of the Japan Open in Osaka.
It was 2-2 in the opening set before the 26-year-old American won 10 of the next 12 games to finish in 88 minutes.
Li delivered six aces, saved all six break points she faced and posted a 22-13 advantage in winners. Her opponent in the quarterfinals will be Austria’s Lilli Tagger.
Li was the only seeded player in action at the WTA 250 event. Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic advanced with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Poland’s Magda Linette. Mary Stoiana survived a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 battle with Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima, and Antonia Ruzic of Croatia was leading 6-4 with Kayla Day retired after 52 minutes.
Defending champ and World No. 1 Elena Rybakina moved into the quarterfinals in China after Uzbekistan’s Polina Kudermetova was forced to retire down 5-0 in the opening set.
After spending only 30 minutes on the court Thursday, the top-seeded Rybakina should be rested for her meeting with Katarzyna Kawa of Poland. Kawa overcame nine double faults to knock off No. 5 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 7-5, 6-2 in 1 hour and 43 minutes.
Fourth-seeded American Iva Jovic also reached the last eight, finishing a 6-4, 6-3 win against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in 82 minutes.
Jovic converted six of 11 break points to set up a showdown with No. 6 Diana Shnaider of Russia, a 7-5, 6-4 winner against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.
