STARNBERG, August 13, 2020
Simona Halep had to work hard in her second-round match on Friday, but eventually booked spot her spot in the quarterfinals of the Prague Open. The top seed of the WTA International Event overcame Czech wild card entry and former doubles World No. 1 Barbora Krejcikova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 at the TK Sparta Praha.
Halep came from a break down in both the second and third sets to secure victory in two hours and five minutes.
The 🇷🇴 moves on!
Top seed @Simona_Halep claims the three set winner over Krejcikova, 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.#PragueOpen2020 pic.twitter.com/W96C55Rzup— wta (@WTA) August 13, 2020
Next up for Halep is lucky loser Magdalena Frech of Poland, who reached her maiden WTA quarterfinal earlier in the day with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 win over Arantxa Rus from the Netherlands in two hours and eight minutes.
Bouchard digs deep
Eugenie Bouchard continued her good run of form with a 7-6(2), 6-7(2), 6-2 victory against Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia. The 26-year-old Canadian, who entered the main draw with a wild card, sent down six aces and won 71 per cent of her first-service points to prevail after two hours and 52 minutes.
“I felt okdy out there,” Bouchard said afterwards, quoted by the WTA website. “At times I played well but at times I didn’t play well at all – my opponent has a good game for clay, she really spins the ball up and she has a good forehand. So when I wasn’t playing well, I felt she was controlling the play with her forehand, and when I was playing well I was dominating a little more – ultimately that’s how I played well in the third set to win.
“I was pretty proud of myself with how I was able to bounce back after losing that second set. Obviously I was ahead, so I feel like I should have won that – but I regrouped and told myself to get back to playing my game, not letting her dominate but trying to step up and take advantage. I wanted to play my game and give myself the best chance, because if I started playing how she wanted to play – with her controlling it and me stepping back – that’s not going to help me for the future anyway. So I told myself to get back to my basics.”
Bouchard will next take on No. 3 seed Elise Mertens from Belgium.
Sara Sorribes Torno of Spain also advanced to the stage of the final eight. The World No. 84 defeated Laura Siegemund of Germany 6-2, 6-3 in one hour and 42 minutes and awaits the winner of the encounter between Irina-Carmelia Begu of Romania and Swiss lucky loser Leonie Kung. Their match was suspended after Kung won the opening set in the tie-break 7-3 due to darkness.
