Pegula powers into last-8 in Dubai as Pliskova continues impressive run

World No.3 Jessica Pegula survived an early scare to power into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarter-finals with a commanding 6-4 6-3 victory over qualifier Ana Bogdan.

Romania’s Bogdan broke her top-ranked opponent in game two and promptly marched into a 3-1 lead, before Pegula turned on the afterburners to win five of the next six games to clinch the first set.

Attempting to reach a second successive WTA final after her loss to World No.1 Iga Swiatek in Doha last weekend, Pegula remained on top in the second set, closing the match out in just one hour and 36 minutes to become the first name in the Dubai quarter-finals.

“She came out really intense so I really had to raise my level. I’m just glad I was able to come back in that first set and kept my focus,” said Pegula, whose parents own NFL team Buffalo Bills and NHL outfit Buffalo Sabres.

Pegula’s compatriot Madison Keys, attempting to reach her first Dubai quarter-final, also continued her impressive form by seeing off 15th seed Victoria Azarenka 6-2 6-1 in just 57 minutes.

While Azarenka appeared to be struggling for movement with a leg injury, Keys’ resounding victory follows her impressive dismantling of fourth seed Caroline Garcia in the Round of 32.

A Grand Slam finalist at the US Open, Keys showed great concentration to get the job done.

“(Azarenka) obviously wasn’t feeling her best, but I guess I get to play another match. I’ll take what I did today and do it again tomorrow,” said the 27-year-old. “In a situation like today all you can do is focus on your own game and play your shots.”

Over on Court One, Karolina Pliskova continued her fine form at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, securing her place in the quarter-finals with a 7-5 6-7 6-2 victory over Anhelina Kalinina.

Admitting she feels “relaxed” in Dubai, 2015 runner-up Pliskova followed up her emphatic 6-1 6-2 victory over No.6 seed Maria Sakkari in the Round of 32 with another solid performance against the Ukraine’s Kalinina, who dumped out 10th seed Veronika Kudermetova in her opening match.