World No 2 Caroline Wozniacki suffers third round exit to Kiki Bertens while Maria Sharapova reached the quarter-finals with an impressive demolition of Kristina Mladenovic
Wednesday 9 May 2018 21:20, UK
Simona Halep maintained her quest to make another successful defence of her Madrid Open title with an emphatic victory over unseeded Kristyna Pliskova.
The Romanian is aiming to become the first player in history to win the tournament three years in a row and continued her serene progress through the draw with a third-round 6-1 6-4 win over her Czech opponent - twin sister to world No 6 Karolina Pliskova.
Halep, a two-time French Open finalist, has only featured on the clay in Stuttgart, where she suffered a quarter-final exit to Coco Vandeweghe but appears to be on track for a second title of the season.
The top seed has now won 15 straight matches in the Spanish capital and will next meet Stuttgart winner Pliskova in the last eight of the tournament after she defeated US Open champion Sloane Stephens 6-2 6-3 in ruthless fashion.
World No 7 Caroline Garcia proved too strong for Germany's Julia Goerges with a 6-2 6-4 success while world No 20 Kiki Bertens produced an impressive performance to dismiss second seed Caroline Wozniacki and underline her clay court credentials ahead of the French Open.
Petra Kvitova recorded a battling 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 6-3 comeback win against unseeded Anett Kontaveit, while Carla Suarez Navarro overcame qualifier Bernarda Pera, who ended Jo Konta's hopes on Tuesday, with a 2-6 6-2 6-4 success.
Maria Sharapova reached the quarter-finals with an impressive 6-3 6-4 demolition of France's Kristina Mladenovic.
Former world No 1 Sharapova fired 30 winners and nine aces in her victory which gave her a last-eight clash with Dutch player Bertens.
Mladenovic, the world No 22, was runner-up in Madrid last year but she had no answer to the firepower of Sharapova who is set to at least return to the top 40 next week.
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