Pera stays hot on hard courts, reaching Cleveland quarter-finals with win over Krejcikova

American Bernarda Pera moved into the last 8 of the Tennis in the Land by winning against Czech Barbora Krejcikova, the top seed, 6-4, 6-1 at Cleveland’s iconic Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Flats West Bank on Wednesday evening.

Pera, ranked No 51, will play American wildcard Sofia Kenin next. The 28-year-old has not lost at the tour-level since Wimbledon. She claimed back-to-back titles at Budapest (d. Krunic) and Hamburg (d. Kontaveit) this summer, before reaching the final of the 125K event at Concord, where she fell to Coco Vandeweghe in the final.

In total, counting qualifying and the 125K event, Pera has won 18 of her last 19 matches.

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The American beat Japanese qualifier Eri Hozumi (6-1, 6-2) ahead of her victory.

In the previous round, Krejcikova, ranked No 23, defeated American lucky loser Francesca Di Lorenzo (6-3, 6-1).

26-year-old Krejcikova has had a difficult time of it after making a return from elbow injury this spring. Her record stands at 6-9 since she returned to the tour at Roland-Garros, and 15-13 overall for the season.

Cleveland WTA 250, other second-round matches (Cleveland’s iconic Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica in Flats West Bank, hard, USD 251.750, most recent results first):

• Shuai Zhang vs. Martina Trevisan
• Laura Siegemund vs. Liudmila Samsonova
• Madison Brengle beat Ekaterina Alexandrova (3): 3-6, 7-5, 7-5
• Magda Linette beat Sorana Cirstea: 6-4, 6-2
• Sofia Kenin beat Irina-Camelia Begu (5): 6-3, 6-2
• Alize Cornet (8) beat Clara Tauson: 6-3, 7-6 (1)
• Aliaksandra Sasnovich (7) beat Sara Sorribes Tormo: 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

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