By Adrianna Outlaw | Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Monica Puig beat Petra Kvitova for the second this summer, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, to advance to her third quarterfinal in her last four tournaments in Tokyo.
Photo credit: AP Photo
Monica Puig continues to have Petra Kvitova's number.
Puig, who beat the two-time Wimbledon champion en route to winning the gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games, did it again in Tokyo.
Serena: Tired Of Playing Unhealthy, May Shut Down Season
A spirited Puig fought off 10 of 13 break points rallying past Kvitova 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, into the Toray Pan Pacific Open quarterfinals.
The 33rd-ranked Puerto Rican reached her third quarterfinal in her last four tournaments, raising her record to 12-6 in three-set matches this season.
Puig, who has scored three-set wins over Kvitova in both of their career clashes, will play two-time Tokyo champion Agnieszka Radwanska for a spot in the final four.
The second-seeded Radwanska defeated Barbora Strycova, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.
US Open semifinalist Caroline Wozniacki continued her resurgence, toppling fourth-seeded Carla Suarez Navarro 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4.
Wozniacki served 78 percent and saved 11 of 15 break points in the two hour, 53-minute tussle.
The former world No. 1 will face either qualifier Magda Linette or Yulia Putintseva in the quarterfinals.
Home favorite Naomi Osaka overpowered sixth-seeded Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-1. The Japanese wild card slashed seven aces in the 63-minute victory.
Osaka will face either US Open finalist Karolina Pliskova or qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich in the quarterfinals.