Keys solves Kerber riddle in Cincinnati

Madison Keys scored a rare victory over Angelique Kerber to storm into the quarterfinals of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.

Keys beat the reigning Wimbledon champion 2-6 7-6(3) 6-4 to set up a meeting with Aryna Sabalenka, the young Belarusian who upset No.6 seed Caroline Garcia.

Another three-set win for Aryna Sabalenka, and another Top 10 win at that.

Sabalenka comes back from 3-5 down in the third to beat No.5 Caroline Garcia 64 36 75 in 2h34m to advance to #CincyTennis QF to play Madison Keys.

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) August 16, 2018

Just three matches were completed in the ATP event on Thursday.

Third seed Juan Martin del Potro breezed past Hyeon Chung to set up a mouthwatering third-round clash with Nick Kyrgios, while Milos Raonic – who beat fellow Canadian Denis Shapovalov – and Pablo Carreno Busta were the only two players who made it through to the quarterfinals.

Novak Djokovic trailed Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 3-1 before reeling off five straight games to send the match to a deciding set. He then went a break up in the third, only to be stopped by torrential rain.

Women progressing to the last eight in Cincinnati were eighth seed Petra Kvitova – a 6-4 6-2 winner over former top-tenner Kristina Mladenovic – and Lesia Tsurenko, who backed up her upset win over Garbine Muguruza with a straight-sets win over Ekaterina Makarova.

Completing rain-delayed matches were No.1 seed Simona Halep and teenage wildcard Amanda Anisimova, who won through to the last 16 with victories over Ajla Tomljanovic and Petra Martic respectively.

In a later match, 15th seed Elise Mertens surprised world No.3 Sloane Stephens, beating last year’s US Open champion 7-6(8) 6-2.

Keys, who hails from nearby Illinois and is contesting her “home” tournament, reached her first Cincinnati quarterfinal after beating Kerber for just the second time in nine meetings.

In their previous meeting in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open, Kerber thrashed Keys 6-1 6-2.

Comeback Kid@Madison_Keys battles back from a set and a break down to beat Kerber 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4.

Advances to first @CincyTennis quarterfinal. pic.twitter.com/Zolxnn4dlL

— WTA (@WTA) August 16, 2018

“Considering the last – what was it, six times? – it didn’t go so hot, this victory feels good,” Keys said.

“More than anything, it was just how I handled being down and not letting the previous results kind of spiral in my head for me. I think that’s what I’m happiest with.

“I think that today specifically I was just really good at staying focused on a couple of things and not letting my mind wander or get ahead of myself or anything like that.”

This marked the first time Keys had taken a set off Kerber in five meetings over three years (dating back to Charleston in 2015), and was her first ever victory over the German on hard courts.

Keys trailed by a set and a break yet broke back immediately to level the second set at 3-3. Ever the aggressor, she finished the match with a staggering 55 winners – including a forehand winner on match point – to Kerber’s 12.

Earlier, Sabalenka continued her impressive run in Cincinnati with her third straight three-set victory.

The 20-year-old, who beat former world No.4 Johanna Konta in the opening round and No.9 seed Karolina Pliskova in the second, is expected to crack the top 30 when next week’s rankings are released.

That's now three top 10 wins from MP down in 8 days for Aryna Sabalenka

#2 Wozniacki in Montreal R2
#8 Pliskova in Cincinnati R2
#5 Garcia in Cincinnati R3

Great stat.

— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 16, 2018

Kvitova, meanwhile, followed up her stellar victory over Serena Williams with an 89-minute dismissal of Mladenovic.

Yet instead of facing the in-form Stephens, Kvitova will take on Mertens for a place in the semifinals.

Mertens, of Belgium, improved her 2018 win-loss record to 42-15, including 19-7 on hard.

“It was kind of different fight today (compared to the Serena match). I just need myself to get there and really fight, and I was telling myself to fight. And sometimes it just came naturally, but sometimes you really have to push yourself to kind of fight,” Kvitova explained.

“I did a lot of talking to myself today, pushing myself to just go for that, and I’m glad in the important points I went there, played aggressively than she, and that was important today.

“I never faced (Mertens). I know that she’s in the great form. She won some titles this year, I think. Never played her. Not sure about her game. It depends on (coach) Jiri (Vanek). He needs to find out.”