CHARLESTON, SC, USA – World No.2 Angelique Kerber expertly dealt with windy conditions to breeze past qualifier Kristina Kucova, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the quarterfinals of the Volvo Car Open.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Charleston right here on wtatennis.com!
Kerber had been taken to the brink in her opening round match against Lara Arruabarrena, but appeared far more comfortable opening play against Kucova on Thursday, hitting 35 winners to 33 unforced errors and converting seven of her 10 break point opportunities. Still, the defending champion felt there was room for improvement heading into the last eight for the second year in a row.
“It was a really tricky match,” she told Andrew Krasny during her on-court interview. “It was really windy and it was a completely different condition than before. I played two days ago in the night session, and it was windy, cold.
“I’m really happy to win the match because she’s a tough opponent who had great matches in Charleston. I’m happy to be back here.”
Playing in her first clay court event of 2016, Kerber has good memories of this tournament, one that truly kickstarted her 2015 season and led her to begin this year with Grand Slam glory at the Australian Open. The French Open remains the only major tournament where she is yet to reach the semifinals, however, and is keen to adjust her counterpunching game to a surface as gritty as the German herself.
“I think the feeling is coming back from last year because right now I’m feeling much better on clay again,” she said in her post-match press conference. “Moving feels better; also, when I hit the balls, I’m feeling the ball. I’m feeling the Court, and of course, playing again on the great center court with all the fans.
“It’s just, again, a great feeling like what I had last year.”
Up next for Kerber will be another unseeded opponent in the winner of Irina-Camelia Begu, who saved a match point to defeat Monica Puig, 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(4). Begu and Kerber have split their previous four meetings; though the Romanian won their most recent encounter at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Kerber won their match last year at this very tournament – en route to winning the title.
Also reaching the quarterfinals in the top half of the draw is 18-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina. Making her WTA debut on green clay, Kasatkina had been the model of efficiency through her first two matches, and looked on course for more of the same against American Louisa Chirico.
Bageling the wildcard in the opening set, Kasatkina was in for a far greater fight in the second, winning a titanic final game in which she saved four break points and needed six match points of her own to clinch her second career Premier quarterfinal – the first coming just three weeks ago at the BNP Paribas Open.
“I knew it wouldn’t be an easy second set, but especially – whew!” the youngster said, trying to catch her breath before continuing in her on-court interview, “at the end of the second set it was very difficult, but I’m happy right now.”
Kasatkina won her 100th career match earlier this week and is currently at a career-high ranking of No.35 – heading into what should be a great part of the season for the former French Open junior champion.
“I’m trying to play solid. I don’t want to make stupid mistakes; I’m trying to play smarter with the brain, so it helps me a lot!”
Standing between Kasatkina and the semifinals is American Sloane Stephens, who took out former junior rival Daria Gavrilova, 6-4, 6-3, during Charleston’s night match. Stephens has already won two titles in 2016, starting the season with the ASB Classic and most recently outlasting 2014 Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova to win the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.
