Birmingham | Fernandez leads cost into Final 8

The Rothesay Traditional noticed 4 gamers advance to the quarter-finals on Wednesday, and main the cost was Canadian sixth seed Leylah Fernandez, who was joined by Anastasia Potapova, Ajla Tomljanovic and Elisabetta Cocciaretto within the Final 8 of the WTA 250 occasion in Birmingham for the primary time. 

I went by means of all of it for precisely this. I simply actually wished to be again out right here enjoying matches like this. And even once I was nervous and damaging, I simply tried to remind myself that that is what I labored for, and that I ought to, form of, benefit from the moments, although it’s actually tense. So to be by means of now, I’m actually relieved. Ajla Tomljanovic

Fernandez rallied for a 4-6 7-5 6-3 win over Swiss qualifier Viktorija Golubic, and can face Australia’s Tomljanovic, who additionally got here from behind for a 6-7(6) 6-1 6-4 win in opposition to Zhu Lin of China.

No 7 seed Anastasia Potapova from Russia eradicated Italy’s Lucia Bronzetti, 6-3 7-5, whereas one other Italian, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, took down American Sloane Stephens, 6-4 6-2.

2021 US Open finalist Fernandez and Golubic delivered a match of advantageous margins as momentum was frequently being exchanged between the 2.

After seizing the opening set, the Swiss was the primary to assault within the second, leaving the Canadian trailing by a set and a break, however, within the wake of a complete 7 breaks of serve, Fernandez finally prevailed after breaking for a 4th time to stage the scoreline at a set apiece.

Left-handed Fernandez, a 3-time WTA Tour stage champion, regained her rhythm over the remaining 43 minutes of the match, breaking to like at 4-2 earlier than finally grinding out her win after 2 hours and 20 minutes of play.

© Paul Harding/Getty Photos for LTA

Tomljanovic reached her first tour-level quarter-final in virtually 2 years after recovering to beat Zhu Lin in 3 units on the Edgbaston Priory Membership.

Thriving once more on the grass, Tomljanovic misplaced a good first set however rebounded to triumph after 2 and a half hours, scoring an early break within the decider to maneuver forward, after which maintained her lead for the remainder of the match, changing on her 4th match level to finish the win.

Tomljanovic, a 2-time Wimbledon quarter-finalist, continues to make encouraging progress on the highway again from long-term damage.

“I went by means of all of it for precisely this,” Tomljanovic mentioned throughout her on-court interview. “I simply actually wished to be again out right here enjoying matches like this. And even once I was nervous and damaging, I simply tried to remind myself that that is what I labored for, and that I ought to, form of, benefit from the moments, although it’s actually tense. So to be by means of now, I’m actually relieved.”

Final week the Aussie certified for the 100K ITF occasion in Surbiton, the place she finally reached the quarters, and now she has superior to the identical stage in Birmingham, which means she has received 6 of her previous 7 matches on grass.

In truth, relationship again to 2021, she is a powerful 19-7 document on grass.

This marks Tomljanovic’s first tour-level quarter-final for the reason that 2022 US Open, and, having begun the season simply inside the highest 300, she is projected to rise to World No 170 together with her newest consequence.

It is going to be the primary assembly between Tomljanovic and Fernandez, who will play on Friday for a spot within the semi-finals.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto continues her spectacular run in Birmingham with a straight units win over Sloane Stephens on Day 3 of the Rothesay Traditional.

© Paul Harding/Getty Photos for LTA

In the meantime, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who’s making her first look in Birmingham, earned her place within the quarter-finals after defeating former US Open champion Sloane Stephens in straight units.

In simply her third profession grass-court match, the 23-year outdated win over the wild-carded American got here after delivering an upset over the defending champion, and prime seed, Jelena Ostapenko from Latvia, within the opening spherical.

Enjoying on the Ann Jones Centre Courtroom, former quarter-finalist Stephens was pressured to avoid wasting a break level on her approach to profitable her opening recreation of the primary set, however a nervy service recreation from the Italian offered her an early alternative to take the lead, which she quickly capitalised on.

The longest recreation of the set, although, noticed Cocciarretto fend off 3 break factors and create 4 recreation factors to safe an important maintain, shortly turning her fortune round as a direct return of break adopted.

From 1-4 right down to a double break forward, the Italian pocketed the set earlier than storming forward within the second, profitable over 80% of factors on her first and second serves in a seamless efficiency.

Cocciarretto closed out the match in an hour and 20 minutes, capping off a powerful begin to the match by reserving her first quarter-final on grass.

She’s going to play the winner of the 2nd-round match between Czech Marie Bouzkova and Diana Shnaider from Russia, who play on Thursday.

No 7 seed Anastasia Potapova defeated Lucia Bronzetti for her place within the Final 8 on the Edgbaston Priory Membership on Wednesday afternoon

© Paul Harding/Getty Photos for LTA

Within the ultimate singles match of Day 3, final yr’s semi-finalist Anastasia Potapova completed with a straight units win over Lucia Bronzetti from Italy to change into the match’s 4th-listed quarter-finalist of the 2024 grass-court season.

The seventh seed is scheduled to play the winner of the 2nd-round assembly between residence favorite Harriet Dart and final yr’s finalist Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic, who play on Thursday.

Heather Watson (R) & Greet Minnen upset No 2 seeds Gabriela Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe to open their doubles marketing campaign in Birmingham

© Paul Harding/Getty Photos for LTA

Within the doubles, Britain’s Heather Watson & Greet Minnen from Belgium surprised the reigning US Open doubles champions, Canada’s Gabriela Dabrowski & Erin Routliffe from New Zealand, the No 2 seeds, 6-3 6-2.

The pair are scheduled to face Japan’s Miyu Kato & Zhang Shuai from China within the quarter-finals.

Elsewhere, Britons Harriet Dart & Maia Lumsden misplaced their opener, 7-5 7-5, to third seeds Bouzkova & Sara Sorribes Tormo from Spain, whereas fellow Brits Sam Murray Sharan & Eden Silva suffered a 6-0 6-4 loss to Taipei’s Hsieh Su-Wei & Elise Mertens from Belgium, the highest seeds, of their quarter-final conflict on Wednesday.