Top seed Kiki Bertens has equaled her career-best result at the Hobart International, reaching the quarterfinals for a second consecutive year with a 6-1 6-4 victory over Kazakh Galina Voskoboeva in the second round.
Bertens, the world No.22, served five aces as she recorded the win in 70 minutes. She dictated play early, before a more even second set.
“She helped me a lot in the beginning with a lot of mistakes, but second set I thought she played really well and I really had to fight for it,” Bertens said.
Last year’s quarterfinal run as a world No.104-ranked qualifier kick-started a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old Dutchwoman, who won her second career WTA title and made the French Open semifinals to set a new ranking high of No.21 in July. She also played a pivotal part in steering her country to the Fed Cup semifinals and made her Olympic debut.
Bertens is now the only seed remaining in the top half of the draw – but is determined not to let the string of upsets around her derail her own focus.
“I’m just focusing on every match,” she said. “I think all the girls can play really well here, so it’s not easy matches. You really have to be focused every match and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Bertens now faces Belgian qualifier and world No.127 Elise Mertens in tomorrow’s quarterfinals.
“I know her pretty well – I’ve never played her, but off the court we know each other good,” Bertens said of the match-up. “I’ll have to play good, be a little bit more aggressive than today and hopefully I can get the win.”