TOKYO: Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki issued a stark warning she was back to her best yesterday as she ousted China’s former French Open champion Li Na to reach the Pan Pacific Open quarterfinals in Tokyo.
Wozniacki ground out a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win to join a powerful last eight, where she will play defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska. Maria Sharapova, Samantha Stosur and world number one Victoria Azarenka are also through.
Denmark’s Wozniacki won her first WTA title in more than a year last week in Seoul, and she was not to be denied despite going a set down against Li. Showing trademark grit, she toughed it out in the last set for her eighth straight win.
“After the first set of my first match my energy level dropped, but since then I’ve been feeling great,” said the 2010 winner, who is currently ranked 11th.
“Today, Li Na was playing very close to the baseline and pushing me away, taking the balls very early — she was all over me. But in the second set I really started to step in and push her away.”
Li’s presence had attracted attention after other Chinese athletes opted to stay away from Japan over a flare-up in a territorial dispute between the rival Asian powers.
Elsewhere, Sharapova found improved form to reach the quarterfinals but still needed a second-set tiebreak to shake off Lucie Safarova 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).
The French Open champion from Russia, who needed more than three hours to beat British qualifier Heather Watson on Tuesday, admitted frustration at letting the Czech player back into the match.
“After winning the first set, I was up 3-0 in the second set. I didn’t think it was going into a tie-break,” said Sharapova, 25, who won the Tokyo tournament in 2005 and 2009.
“She had an opportunity to serve out for the second set and I was frustrated in that situation.”
Six games in the first set went against serve, and both players struggled to hold at the end of the second set as it went to a tiebreak. Sharapova took a 3-0 lead before being pegged back to 4-4, but finally clinched it 7-4 with an ace.
“After the long match yesterday, I’m very happy to be able to win today. I was a little bit down in the second set and I’m just happy to win in two sets,” Sharapova said.
In the quarterfinals on today, Sharapova will play eighth seed and former US Open champion Samantha Stosur of Australia, who defeated Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-4, 7-5.
Belarusian top seed Azarenka outlasted Roberta Vinci of Italy 6-4, 6-2 to set up a meeting with Angelique Kerber, while last year’s winner Radwanska, the third seed, defeated qualifier Jamie Hampton of the United States 6-4, 6-3.
Sixth seed Sara Errani of Italy outclassed ninth seed Marion Bartoli of France 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 to set up a quarter-final with Nadia Petrova of Russia, who beat 73rd-ranked Croatian Petra Martic 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (1/7), 6-4.
Resurgent Wozniacki ousts Li Na in Pan Pacific Open
Resurgent Wozniacki ousts Li Na in Pan Pacific Open
Leeds survive Birmingham scare to reach FA Cup fifth round
- Wolves also avoided an upset as they won 1-0 at fourth-division Grimsby
LONDON: Leeds survived an FA Cup scare to reach the fifth round with a penalty shoot-out victory against second-tier Birmingham on Sunday.
Birmingham substitute Patrick Roberts snatched an 89th-minute equalizer at St. Andrew’s to cancel out Lukas Nmecha’s 49th-minute opener for Leeds.
With a feisty fourth round tie level at 1-1 after extra-time, Leeds won the shoot-out 4-2.
Joel Piroe, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Brenden Aaronson and Sean Longstaff all converted their penalties for Daniel Farke’s team.
Tommy Doyle’s effort was saved by Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri before Roberts fired over the crossbar.
Battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League, Leeds are one win away from reaching the quarterfinals for the first time since 2003.
Wolves also avoided an upset as they won 1-0 at fourth-division Grimsby.
Grimsby stunned Manchester United in the League Cup earlier this season.
But Wolves avoided similar embarrassment thanks to Santiago Bueno’s 60th-minute goal from the visitors’ first shot on target on a mud-caked pitch at Blundell Park.
Grimsby did not manage to force Wolves ‘keeper Sam Johnstone into a save until Andy Cook’s header in the 90th minute.
It was Wolves’ first away win since beating Manchester United in April.
Mired in a miserable season that has left them bottom of the Premier League and almost certain to be relegated, Rob Edwards’ side can still salvage some pride in the FA Cup.
Fulham came from behind to win 2-1 at second tier Stoke.
Cottagers boss Marco Silva made 10 changes from their midweek defeat at Manchester City and nearly paid for the gamble.
South Korean midfielder Bae Jun-ho capped a fine move to put Stoke ahead after 19 minutes.
But Brazilian winger Kevin got his reward for an impressive performance in the 55th minute, sending a first-time shot into the bottom corner.
Harrison Reed completed Fulham’s escape act in the 84th minute, intercepting a poor pass from Stoke keeper Tommy Simkin and slotting home.
Sunderland reached the fifth round for the first time since 2015 as Habib Diarra’s controversial penalty clinched a 1-0 win at second tier Oxford.
Regis Le Bris’ side went in front after 32 minutes when Dennis Cirkin tumbled under Christ Makosso’s challenge.
Referee Thomas Kirk pointed to the spot despite Oxford’s protests and Diarra rubbed salt into their wounds as he calmly converted the penalty.
