Charleston: Madison Brengle of the US hits a return to Germany’s Andrea Petkovic during their third-round match at the Family Circle Cup.—AP

CHARLESTON: Defending champion Andrea Petkovic booked her quarter-final berth at the Family Circle Cup, improving her perfect record in the event with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Madison Brengle here on Thursday.

Third seed German improved to 10-0 on the green clay of Charleston, avenging her first-round loss to Brengle at the Australian Open.

Petkovic, ranked 11th in the world, is the highest-seeded player left in the draw after the second-round exit of top seed Canadian Eugenie Bouchard and the withdrawal of second-seeded Ekaterina Makarova with a stomach ailment.

Petkovic will next face qualifier Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, who reached the quarters when former champion and sixth seed Jelena Jankovic withdrew from their scheduled third-round match with a right foot injury.

Lauren Davis, who stunned Bouchard in straight sets on Wednesday, moved into the quarter-finals with an abbreviated victory over ailing Mona Barthel.

Davis was leading the 15th-seeded German 6-4, 3-0 when Barthel retired because of dizziness.

Davis next faces seventh-seeded American Madison Keys. Keys, an Australian Open semi-finalist, defeated Romanian Andreea Mitu 6-2, 6-0.

Davis and Keys are familiar foes. With their career head-to-head record tied at two victories apiece.

Fourth-seeded Italian Sara Errani reached the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Errani will face Czech Lucie Hradecka, who toppled French eighth seed Caroline Garcia 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.

Fifth-seeded German Angelique Kerber eased past Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena 6-3, 6-0 to line up a quarter-final meeting with Romania Irina-Camelia Begu.

Begu advanced by walkover thanks to Makarova’s decision to pull out.

Results (x denotes seeding):

Third round: Lauren Davis (US) bt Mona Barthel (GER x15) 6-4, 3-0 -- retired; Madison Keys (US x7) bt Andreea Mitu (ROM) 6-2, 6-0; Sara Errani (ITA x4) bt Sara Sorribes (ESP) 6-2, 5-7, 6-2; Lucie Hradecka (CZE) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA x8) 5-7, 7-5, 6-4; Danka Kovinic (MNE) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB x6) retired; Andrea Petkovic (GER x3) bt Madison Brengle (US) 6-4, 6-4; Angelique Kerber (GER x5) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 6-3, 6-0; Irina-Camilia Begu (ROM x13) bt Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x2) — walkover.

SOCK REACHES LAST EIGHT

HOUSTON: Unseeded American Jack Sock toppled second-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP men’s clay court tournament here on Thursday.

Sock, ranked 46th in the world, notched his second victory over the 15th-ranked Spaniard in less than a month.

He also beat Bautista Agut in the round of 32 in the Indian Wells Masters in March.

Sock, who lifted the doubles title with Vasek Pospisil in Indian Wells and reached the final with the Canadian at Miami last weekend, saved both break points he faced in the one hour, 21 minute clash.

He broke the Spaniard once in each set to secure the win and next faces fifth-seeded Colombian Santiago Giraldo who toppled unseeded Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (7-2), 6-3.

Tipsarevic, once ranked as high as eighth in the world, is on the comeback trail after missing 17 months in the wake of multiple surgeries on his left foot.

On Tuesday, the Serb saved two match points en route to a three-set win over Guilherme Clezar.

Also taking the court on Thursday were two former tournament winners, including defending champ Fernando Verdasco who beat South Korean teen Chung Hyeon in straight sets, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

But John Isner, who won two years ago, failed to advance, losing 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) to Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili.

Results:

Second round: Jack Sock (US) bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x2) 6-4, 6-4; Fernando Verdasco (ESP x6) bt Chung Hyeon KOR) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2; Santiago Giraldo (COL x5) bt Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3; Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) bt John Isner (US x4) 6-2, 7-6 (7-2).

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2015

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