Number 2 seed and 2017 Mallorca champion Anastasija Sevastova cruised past Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2 6-1 after 62 minutes to secure her spot in the quarter finals at the Mallorca Open.
The Latvian player has improved her record to 15-2 at this tournament, where she reached the final in all her three previous apprearances. She won this title in 2017.
Sevastova hit nine winners to five unforced errors and never faced a break point. She drew the first blood in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead after two consecutive errors by Tomljanovic to take a 3-2 lead. Sevastova earned a double break point in the seventh game for 5-2 and converted it after a dropshot error from Tomljanovic.
Sevastova recovered from 0-30 down to earn a set point on her serve in the eighth game. She sealed the first set 6-2 on her first set point with a slice backhand.
Sevastova got an early break in the first game. Tomljanovic did not convert three game points at 2-0. Sevastova went up a double break and held her serve to win her eighth consecutive game for 4-0.
Tomljanovic fended off a match point, as she was serving to stay in the match at 5-1, but she wasted four game points. Sevastova earned her second match point after a long volley from Toljanovic and converted it to claim the second set 6-1.
“I felt good on the court. It was a short match, but in the beginning I had to be concentrated and return a lot of serves, and just keep fighting, and wait for my chances and take them”, said Sevastova.
Sofia Kenin advanced to the quarter final after Ons Jabeur from Tunisia was forced to withdraw from the match, when the 20-year-old player was leading 6-2 2-0. Kenin set up a quarter final against Elise Mertens, who beat Samantha Stosur 6-3 6-3.
Kenin recently stunned Serena Williams at Roland Garros to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career.
Kenin won 85% of her first serve points and never faced a break point.
Kenin converted her third break point in the first game of the opening set with her crosscourt forehand winner and consolidated the break with another forehand to open up a 2-0 lead. Kenin got a double break with a return winner on break point to open up a 4-0 lead. Jabeur held her serve to get her first game in the fifth game.
Kenin went down 0-30, while she was serving for the first set. The US player won three consecutive points to earn a set point. The US player sealed the first set 6-2 with a service winner.
Kenin earn an early break in the opening game of the second set after a double fault from Jabeur on break point. The Tunisian player took a medical time out. On her return to the court Jabeur win her first point with a drop-shot. Kenin won four consecutive to hold serve for 2-0, before Jabeur withdrew from the match.
“I felt pretty good on court. It’s unfortunate that Jabeur had to retire. Obviously I was not expecting to win like that. I am overall happy with the win and I stuck to the game plan really good”, said Kenin in the post match interview.
