Victoria Azarenka became the first player to reach the quarter finals at the Brisbane International with a 7-5 6-2 win over former world junior number 1 Clara Burel from France in their first ever match.
Azarenka built a 4-1 lead in the first set, but Burel won three consecutive games to draw level to 4-4. Burel earned a break point for 5-4, but Azarenka saved it at deuce. The Belarusian player converted her second break point in the 12th game to win the first set 7-5.
Burel hit 30 winners but she hit 22 unforced errors. Ararenka produced 14 winners to 10 unforced errors and converted four of her five break points. Burel also earned five break points, but she broke Azarenka only once.
Azarenka broke twice in the second and eighth games to win the second set 6-2 to advance to the quarter final in Brisbane for the fifth time in her career. She won this title in 2009 and 2016 and reached the final in 2014.
“I think she played really well. I wanted to give her credit. She was changing up the game, really passing me so well today, really passing me so well today. I was trying to be aggressive, come to the net, but I felt like she was really on top of me. She did amazing passing shots, some counter balls. I felt like I started really well, and maybe then let her play her game too much. It was a very competitive match. Whenever I needed, I was able to step up my game”, said Azarenka.
Azarenka set up a quarter final match against 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who edged past former number 1 and three-time Brisbane International champion Karolina Pliskova 6-2 4-6 6-3 in 2 hours and 17 minutes.
Ostapenko fended off 8 of the 11 break points she faced. Pliskova, who beat Naomi Osaka in the second round, fired 18 aces and won 31% of her second service points.
Ostapenko earned two breaks in the second and sixth games to open up a 5-1 lead. Pliskova pulled one break back in the seventh game for 2-5. Ostapenko converted her third break point in the eighth game on her sixth deuce.
Pliskova broke serve at 15 in the first game and held serve at 30 to open up a 2-0 lead. Ostapenko converted her fourth break point in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Pliskova earned her second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the second set on her third set point. Ostapenko saved three break points in the third game of the third set before breaking serve in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. The Latvian player sealed the win on her second match point.