Top-seeded Naomi Osaka has reached the quarter-finals at the Japan Women’s Open by beating qualifier Viktoriya Tomova 7-5 6-3.
Osaka, who was broken twice early in Wednesday night’s match, is looking to win her first title in her hometown after finishing runner-up in 2016 and 2018.
She will next meet either Yulia Putintseva or Russian qualifier Varvara Flink.
Fourth-seeded Angelique Kerber also won her first match since Wimbledon, beating American qualifier Nicole Gibbs 6-2, 6-4.
“The goal now is to finish the year as well as I can, to put all the energy which I have into this run in Asia and to play well in the next few weeks,” Kerber said.
Kerber will next face Madison Keys, who defeated Zarina Diyas 5-7 6-0 6-4.
Elise Mertens also advanced, beating Hsieh Su-Wei 6-3 1-6 6-2.
At the Korea Open in Seoul, second-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova recovered well to beat Kristyna Pliskova 3-6 6-3 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals.
Alexandrova will next play Kristie Ahn. The American advanced by beating Ana Bogdan of Romania 0-6 6-4 7-6 (7-2).
Magda Linette also reached the last eight, defeating Anastasia Potapova 7-5 7-6 (7-4).
The fourth-seeded Linette will next meet Kirsten Flipkens, who upset seventh-seeded Margarita Gasparyan 6-3 7-5.
Australians Priscilla Hon and Ajla Tomljanovic face off in the Round of 16 on Thursday.
Meanwhile Samantha Stosur has won through to the quarter-finals at Guangzhou International after a tough three-set win over American Bernarda Pera.
The Australiann edged Pera out 6-4 1-6 7-6 (7-5).
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.
She’ll take on Nina Stojanovic who beat Peng Shuai, 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 6-0 for a spot in the semifinals.
Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic also advanced to the last eight after top-seeded Elina Svitolina retired due to pain in her right knee when the Ukrainian was trailing 6-4 4-3.
Third-seeded Sofia Kenin of the United States moved into the quarter-finals by beating Katarina Zavatska 6-4 6-2.
Kenin will take on qualifier Jasmine Paolini after the Italian upset sixth-seeded Saisai Zheng 7-5 3-6 7-5.
Viktorija Golubic came back to beat Katerina Siniakova 4-6 7-5 6-0 and will take on Shuai Zhang of China in the last eight after the fourth-seeded player beat Andrea Petkovic 7-5 6-4.