WTA roundup: Top seed Daria Kasatkina in quarterfinals in Palermo

PALERMO (Reuters): Top seed Daria Kasatkina advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over fellow Russian Tatiana Prozorova on Thursday at the 34 Palermo Ladies Open in Italy.

In winning in one hour and 24 minutes, Kasatkina saved two of four break points, while Prozorova saved nine of 15. Kasatkina, ranked No. 11 in the world, had the edge in total service points won at 60.8 per cent (31 of 51) compared to 41.1 per cent (23 of 56) for her opponent, ranked No. 236.

In other matches in the round of 16, third-seeded Mayar Sherif of Egypt knocked off Russian Sofya Lansere 6-3, 6-3.

Fifth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy lost the first set before recovering to top Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours and 10 minutes.

Unseeded Camila Osorio of Colombia battled even longer – two hours and 48 minutes – to defeat Erika Andreeva of Russia in three sets, 6-7 (3), 6-0, 6-2.

Kasatkina will face Paolini in the quarterfinals on Friday, while Osorio and Sherif will square off.

HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

Seeded players Elina Avanesyan of Russia and Nadia Podoroska of Argentina advanced out of the round of 16 in straight sets in Budapest.

Avanesyan, the sixth seed, dispatched Hungarian Anna Bondar 6-3, 6-0. Podoroska, the ninth seed, took out Anna Siskova of the Czech Republic by the same 6-3, 6-0 scoreline.

In other matches in the round of 16, Maria Timofeeva defeated fellow Russian Diana Shnaider 6-1, 6-1 in 57 minutes, and Kateryna Baindl of Ukraine eliminated Hungarian Amarissa Toth 6-3, 6-1.

Podoroska and Avanesyan will meet in one quarterfinal on Friday, while American Claire Liu faces eighth seed Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of the Slovak Republic.