Qualifier Barty stuns Venus in Cincinnati

Ash Barty on Wednesday claimed her first top-10 scalp with a three-set victory over ninth seed Venus Williams at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

The Australian qualifier, 16 years younger than Williams, outmuscled and outrallied the American for a 6-3 2-6 6-2 win.

Barty, a new entrant in the top 50 this week, will leapfrog compatriot Sam Stosur in next week’s rankings to become the second-ranked Aussie; she’s projected to rise to a career-high ranking of No.42 after her victory over Williams.

Next up for Barty – who has won eight of her past nine matches – is No.6 seed Caroline Wozniacki, a 6-2 6-4 winner over Elena Vesnina.

“I was really happy to go out there and play well today and execute my game plan,” said Barty, whose previous biggest win came over the then 14th-ranked Garbine Muguruza in Birmingham. “This weather is exactly like Brisbane where I live.

“I’m trying to enjoy the US hard court season. I’m much happier, healthier and really enjoying my tennis right now. At the moment I can played free as a bird.

“Next year will be different with the points and the pressure.”

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World No.1 and defending champion Karolina Pliskova got her Cincinnati campaign off to a strong start with a 6-2 6-3 win over Russian lucky loser Natalia Vihklyantseva.

Pliskova is bidding to retain the top ranking this week; depending on how results fall, Simona Halep and Elina Svitolina have a chance to become No.1.

Svitolina needs
– To win the tournament
– Pliskova to lose before the SFs https://t.co/yapJ4VnRvk

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 17, 2017

Pliskova will next face big-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi, a three-set win over Australia’s Daria Gavrilova.

Meanwhile, Sloane Stephens continued her impressive form, beating an error-prone Petra Kvitova 6-2 6-3 to advance to the last 16.

It was the second straight week Stephens has beaten the Czech, after also doing so en route to the Toronto semifinals.

Stephens will next face Ekaterina Makarova, who ousted No.3 seed Angelique Kerber in a dramatic final-set tiebreak.

In a battle of the lefties, Makarova – who thrashed Kerber in the opening round at Roland Garros in May – this time recorded a thrilling 6-4 1-6 7-6(11) victory, requiring eight match points to end the two-hour, 38-minute battle.

Makarova vs. Kerber was one of the most entertaining, hold-your-breath-during-all-10-match-points, matches I've seen all year. Brilliant.

— DavidLaw (@DavidLawTennis) August 16, 2017

Makarova, at 6-6 in the tiebreak, sat down behind the baseline after losing a gruelling match point, crying and clutching at her cramping thigh.

Somehow, she won, and an unimpressed Kerber was less than warm in the post-match handshake.

Also advancing was Madison Keys, who thumped fellow young gun Daria Kasatkina 6-2 6-1 to set up a third-round blockbuster with Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza.

“I definitely thought I played really well. I don’t know if I was the zone … but everything was going well. It was falling into place, and I didn’t have to rush anything,” Keys said.

“I definitely didn’t want to be out there a long time. I wasn’t out there that long, but I was still drenched (due to the heat and humidity). I was happy to get back inside into the air conditioning.”