By Erik Gudris | Thursday, April 24, 2014

 

Former Stuttgart champion Svetlana Kuznetsova pulled off a surprise win against this year's No. 2 seed Simona Halep.

Photo Credit: Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

In a tournament that continues surprising tennis fans, a former Porsche Tennis Grand Prix champion in Stuttgart walked away with a much needed, though unexpected win.

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Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova was not the favorite as she stepped onto the court against current top five player and No. 2 seed Simona Halep on Thursday night.

After all, Halep easily beat Kuznetsova in their last meeting in Rome the previous season. Though she won Stuttgart back in 2009, Kuznetsova remains one of those players that continues to defy and often deflate expectations, despite having won two Grand Slam titles in her career.

Early on, it appeared Halep might make a quick evening of things after she surged to a 5-2 lead in the opening set. But with a mixture of untimely errors from Halep plus well-timed winners from Kuznetsova, the set quickly changed hands. Kuznetsova won 20 out of the last 22 points to steal the set 7-5.

Though the Russian would go up an early break in the second set, Halep would not back down. Halep broke back and soon enough held 0-40 on Kuznetsova's serve while up 5-4. The Russian would fight back herself by fending off all three set points as she then held serve for 5-all.

Eventually, a tiebreak was needed to decide matters. Halep tried to press with her shots but often hit long or in the net. Kuznetsova continued to display her trademark power and touch as she kept hold of a mini-break lead. Playing with more aggression down the stretch, Kuznetsova soon walked away with a surprise 7-5, 7-6(4) victory.

The key stat for Kuznetsova was that she won 78% of her first serve points.

This is not only the first top five win of the season for Kuznetsova but also her first quarterfinal berth all year. Next, she'll face Ana Ivanovic, who dismissed Germany's Julia Gorges 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Sharapova Wins All-Russian Battle to Reach Quarters

Earlier in the day, defending champion Maria Sharapova earned an easier win than her triple-tiebreak victory against Lucie Safarova the previous day. Sharapova, facing fellow Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, advanced 6-4, 6-3.

Up next for Sharapova is a meeting against the tournament's top seed Agnieszka Radwanska.

Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro took out the last remaining German No. 4 seed Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-4. Jelena Jankovic came back from a set down to beat Flavia Pennetta 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. Next for Jankovic is her current doubles partner this week, Russia's Alisa Kleybanova.