Osaka survives Hsieh to reach quarters at Cincinnati Masters

Cincinnati - Osaka now gets a matchup with 20-year-old American Sofia Kenin

World number one Naomi Osaka survived a tough test against Hsieh Su-Wei and eked out a 7-6(3) 5-7 6-2 victory to reach her first ever quarterfinal at the Cincinnati Masters on Thursday.
Osaka, who lost to Hsieh at the Miami Open in March, admitted a day earlier that the Taiwanese challenger was an unpredictable opponent for her. But she was ready this time around, firing 15 aces and breaking Hsieh five times.
Osaka now gets a matchup with 20-year-old American Sofia Kenin who took down seventh-seed Elina Svitolina 6-3 7-6(3).
Maria Sakkari needed even longer to dispatch Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(4) 6-4 6-4 on a hot and humid day. Venus Williams also went the distance before claiming a 2-6 6-3 6-3 victory over Croatia's Donna Vekic.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion will have her work cut out in the next round when she faces big-serving American Madison Keys who took down Wimbledon champion Simona Halep 6-1 3-6 7-5.
Keys fired 10 aces in a back and forth duel that nearly lasted two hours.
Third seed Karolina Pliskova, of Czech Republic, earned a straight set triumph to reach the quarterfinal. She will meet Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova who upended American Sloane Stephens 6-1 6-2.