Camila Giorgi dropped just three games to upset third-seeded Sloane Stephens 6-0 6-3 in the second round of Japan’s Pan Pacific Open on Thursday.
The unseeded Italian, who reached the semifinals last year, beat the 2017 US Open champion to set up a quarter-final against Belgian Elise Mertens.
“It was a good match for sure and I was able to play my game, show off my attacking style and be consistent,” Giorgi said.
Giorgi dropped her serve at 5-2 in the second set but she sealed the victory in the next game on her fourth match point.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who beat second-seeded Kiki Bertens 6-1 7-5 to also progress to the last eight, described her win as “super-tough.”
Wild card Misaki Doi will be Pavlyuchenkova’s opponent in the last eight after the Japanese upset seventh-seeded Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan faces top-seed Naomi Osaka of Japan in the quarter-finals after she defeated qualifier Varvara Flink 6-1 6-1.
At the Korea Open in Seoul, third-seeded Czech Karolina Muchova reached her third quarter-final in her last four tournaments when she defeated qualifier Timea Babos 6-2 6-3.
Muchova will next take on Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon, who edged fifth-seeded compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3 5-7 6-1.
Meanwhile, Australian veteran Samantha Stosur is through to the semi-finals of the Guangzhou Open in China after beating Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic 6-2 7-6 (7-1).
Currently ranked No.129 in the world the former US Open champion will be looking to accrue as many points as possible on the Asian swing to ensure a main draw entry to the Australian Open in January.