Top seed Belinda Bencic edged past Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 to reach the quarter final at the St. Petersburg Ladies Open for the first time since her title at this tournament in 2016.
Bencic went up a 3-1 lead with an early break after a series of double faults from Kuznetsova. The Russian player broke back to draw level to 3-3. Both players went on serve throught 5-5. Kuznetsova broke serve with a crosscourt backhand winner. Bencic converted a break point to draw level to 6-6. Bencic earned two mini-breaks to open up a 3-0 lead. The Swiss player raced out to a 5-0 lead before Kuznetsova pulled one break back to 3-5. Bencic hit a backhand winner to earn three set points at 6-3 and converted her second set point with an overhead.
Kuznetsova fended off two break points at 1-1 in the second set. Bencic claimed the first break at 3-3 with an overhead and held on her serve through 5-4, but she faced two break points, as she was serving for the match. Bencic saved both chances and hit a winning forehand to bring up a match point. Bencic sealed her chance, as Kuznetsova netted a return.
Bencic will face either Maria Sakkari or Alizé Cornet in the quarter finals.
French qualifier Alizé Cornet cruised past Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-1 after 1 hour and 3 minutes to score her second win in as many matches against her Latvian rival. Cornet had beaten Ostapenko 1-6 7-5 6-0 in Cincinnati 2018.
Ostapenko was playing his opening match after beating 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin in the Fed Cup Qualifier.
Cornet broke serve in the opening game after two double faults from Ostapenko. The French player went up a double break in the fifth game after two more double faults from Ostapenko. Cornet earned a set point in the eighth game after Ostapenko made his fifth double fault and sealed the first set after 25 minutes.
Cornet earned a break point after a double fault from Ostapenko in the sixth game. The French player got the break after a forehand error from Ostapenko and held her serve at deuce in the third game. Ostapenko faced two match points with an eighth double fault. The Latvian player saved the first chance with a backhand winner. Cornet sealed the win on her second match point after a forehand error from Ostapenko.
French qualifier Oceane Dodin upset Joanna Konta 6-3 6-4 to reach the quarter finals. Dodin claimed the top 20 of her career.
Dodin converted two of her four break points and saved both break points she faced. Both players held on their service games with no break points until 4-3. Dodin earned two break points after Konta hit her slice backhand into the net. The French player converted her first chance with a forehand winner to take a 5-3 lead.
Dodin earned three set points in the next game with her serve. Konta saved one set point with her backhand crosscourt winner, but Dodin sealed the set on her second break point chance, as Konta fired a forehand long.
Dodin earned her only break in the first game of the second set and held on her serve at deuce in the second game with an ace. Dodin held on her serve for 5-3. Konta earned her first two set points, as Dodin was serving for the match at 5-4. Dodin saved both set points before sealing the win with a forehand winner on her second match point.
“I am very happy with my game right now. I am very happy to be here and to be in the quarter finals, and we will see. The last top 20 win was three years ago. This is incredible”,said Dodin.
