ATX Open (Austin, Texas)
Top-seeded Jessica Pegula rolled into the semifinals Friday by dismissing Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-2, 6-2 in just 58 minutes. Pegula captured 76.9 percent of her first-serve points and capitalized on 5 of 7 break chances. This marks her second semifinal of the year, after a runner-up finish in Adelaide in January. She next meets Australian wild card Ajla Tomljanovic, who survived a 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (8) marathon over Japan’s Ena Shibahara — saving a match point in the third-set tiebreak and winning four of the last five points.
Elsewhere, fifth-seeded McCartney Kessler will battle Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in one quarterfinal, while Caroline Dolehide and Belgium’s Greet Minnen face off in another on Friday.
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Merida Open Akron (Merida, Mexico)
Elina Avanesyan of Armenia stormed back to defeat Australian qualifier Maya Joint 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 in their quarterfinal. Avanesyan converted 9 of 14 break opportunities, pulling away by winning 30 of 44 points in the decisive third set. She awaits the winner of a later match featuring top-seeded Emma Navarro (U.S.) against Turkey’s Zeynep Sonmez.
Additional quarterfinals scheduled Friday include Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova vs. Colombia’s Emiliana Arango and second-seeded Paula Badosa (Spain) vs. Australian qualifier Daria Saville.
