By Chris Oddo | Wednesday October 5, 2016
Madison Keys improved to 3-0 over Svetlana Kuznetsova with a crucial win over the Russian in Beijing.
Photo Source: Etienne Oliveau/Getty
Staring down the barrel of what would have been a difficult defeat, Madison Keys rallied to strengthen her bid for a first WTA Finals appearance, defeating No. 9-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-6(2), 6-2.
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Facing a set point with Kuznetsova serving at 5-2 in the openiner, Keys rifled a daring backhand down-the-line winner to get to deuce then struck two more winners to secure the break.
Her outburst was just the beginning.
The 21-year-old American rallied to win 11 of the final 14 games to improve to 3-0 against Kuznetsova and all but eliminate the Russian from the Singapore picture.
Keys won the final five points of the first-set tiebreaker and the final four games of the second set to set up a quarterfinal battle with red-hot Petra Kvitova.
The American fell to Kvitova in the Bronze medal match at the Rio Olympics. She owns a 2-3 lifetime record against the Czech and has split their two meetings in 2016.
Keys began the week at No. 8 in the Road to Singapore standings, and she has put some distance between herself and No. 9 Carla Suárez Navarro and No. 10 Kuznetsova. But creeping up in the standings is Petra Kvitova, who has won eight matches in a row and could qualify for Singapore if she gets past Keys and wins her second title in as many weeks.
Kvitova clobbered No. 2-seeded Garbiñe Muguruza on Wednesday in Beijing, 6-1, 6-4, winning 18 of 23 second serve points and saving the only break point she faced.
Kerber Sets Svitolina Clash
World No.1 Angelique Kerber kept up her fine play on Wednesday in Beijing with a 6-3, 7-6(4) win over Barbora Strycova. The German improves to 5-1 against Strycova after battling past her in 95 minutes for her 57th win of the season. Kerber will bid for her fourth quarterfinal in Beijing when she faces Elina Svitolina in the Round of 16.
The Ukrainian thumped wild card Sabine Lisicki, winning 16 of 19 second serve return points to improve to 2-0 over Lisicki.
Pliskova Survives Kasatkina
No. 5-seeded Karolina Pliskova kept up her winning ways by saving a match point and edging out Russia’s Daria Kasatkina, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7). Kasatkina had a break lead in set three, then was behind by a break. But the Russian broke to level and forced a third-set tiebreaker before she earned a match point with Pliskova serving at 6-7. But Kasatkina missed a second serve return and would not have another chance. Pliskova moves on to face No. 11-seeded Johanna Konta. Konta took out Timea Babos in straight sets to keep her Singapore qualification hopes alive.