WTA Washington: Mladenovic, Pegula, Davis and Kalinskaya reach quarters

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World no. 79 Jessica Pegula is through to the first WTA quarter-final since Quebec City in September last year, defeating the young Pole Iga Swiatek 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 in two hours and 19 minutes. The American won seven points more in the end, in the encounter that offered 23 break chances overall, 13 for Swiatek who managed to convert only four and miss an opportunity for a more favorable result.

Pegula scored six breaks and could have closed the clash much earlier, leading 5-2 in the opener before wasting three set points and giving it away after five straight games on Swiatek's side! The Pole extended her run, breaking at the beginning of the second set to move closer to the finish line, leading 4-2 and fading from the court from that moment, allowing Jessica to claim ten of the last 11 games and book the place in the quarter-final with an excellent performance in the decider.

Lauren Davis needed two hours and 40 minutes to break the resistance of the 3rd seed Sofia Kenin, prevailing 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 for the first WTA quarter-final since Rabat in May 2017! Almost nothing could have separated the rivals, with Davis winning one point more than Kenin and scoring seven breaks in comparison to six for Kenin.

Returners were the dominant force in the opening set, stealing serve seven times and with Davis who had the advantage all the time until 5-3. Out of sudden, Sofia bounced back to claim the next four games and steal the opener, building the momentum ahead of set number two where she couldn't do the same, allowing Lauren to win it 6-3 and keep the upper hand in the decider as well to move 5-4 up.

Serving for the victory, Davis repelled four break chances and converted the third match point to jump over the top and stay on the title course. World no. 160 Anna Kalinskaya is through to the first WTA quarter-final, ousting the 8th seed Monica Puig 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 in two hours and 34 minutes despite winning seven points less than her rival.

Monica made a great start to open a 6-2, 4-2 lead before the Russian started the comeback, surving a break at 5-5 to break back and set up the breaker that Kalinskaya grabbed 7-5 to prolong the clash and claim it 6-4 in the decider with a double break, converting the sixth match point for the most significant result in a career.

The home favorite Hailey Baptiste is making a debut on the WTA Tour at the age of 17, scoring the first win on this level before losing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 to Kristina Mladenovic in two hours and five minutes. Kristina hit 11 double faults but did enough to overpower the youngster, fending off seven out of nine break points and earning four breaks to cross the finish line first with a strong performance in the final set.