US qualifier Alycia Parks came back from one set down to upset Maria Sakkari 5-7 7-5 7-5 after 2 hours and 44 minutes at the Agel Open in Ostrava reaching a WTA Tour quarter final for the first time in her career. Parks scored the first top 10 win of her career.
Parks continued her winning streak in Ostrava after beating Karolina Pliskova in straight sets. The world number 144 player hit 59 winners to 26 unforced errors. Sakkari made produced just nine winners.
Both players traded breaks in the first two games of the match. Sakkari earned a break point after two double faults from Parks at 5-5 in the first set. The Greek player broke serve with her passing shots.
Parks fended off a break point at 4-4 before breaking Sakkari after a three-deuce battle in the 12th game to win the second set 7-5.
Sakkari saved four break points to hold serve for 4-4 in the third set. Parks broke serve on her first match point with a forehand winner in the 12th game to seal the third set 7-5.
Parks will meet for the first time in her career against 2021 Barbora Krejcikova, who reached the quarter final after Belinda Bencic withdrew due to a left foot injury. Krejcikova won the Tallin title last Sunday and has extended her winning streak to six consecutive matches.
“I came out here not expecting anything, just playing my game, and it got me through the match. I was coming from Parma last week, and everyone said, how you are going to switch surfaces like that. But surfaces don’t really affect me. Indoor hard courts are my strength”, said Alycia Parks.
US qualifier Caty McNally beat Karolina Muchova 6-1 3-6 6-1 in 2 hours and 1 minutes setting up a quarter final match against this year’s Roland Garros and US Open champion Iga Swiatek. McNally beat Swiatek 3-6 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 in the singles semifinal at the 2018 Roland Garros girls’ tournament.
