Charleston Open: Townsend moves into last 16

American Taylor Townsend advanced to the last 16 of the Charleston Open by defeating Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No 6 seed, 7-5, 6-2 at the Family Circle Tennis Center on Thursday night.

Townsend, ranked No 68, will play Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, the No 12 seed, next.

In the previous round of the Charleston tournament, the American won against Sofia Kenin (6-3, 6-3).

Charleston WTA 500, other second-round results (Family Circle Tennis Center, clay, USD 922.573, most recent results first):

• Elina Svitolina vs. Daria Saville
• Varvara Gracheva vs. Elise Mertens
• Danielle Collins vs. Ons Jabeur
• Leylah Fernandez vs. Sloane Stephens
• Beatriz Haddad Maia vs. Caroline Dolehide: thursday
• Veronika Kudermetova (9) beat Shelby Rogers (WC): 7-6 (5), 6-4
• Daria Kasatkina (4) beat Ashlyn Krueger: 6-3, 0-6, 6-1
• Emma Navarro (10) beat Katie Volynets (Q): 6-1, 6-1
• Astra Sharma (LL) beat Lesia Tsurenko (16): 6-4, 6-0
• Victoria Azarenka beat Elisabetta Cocciaretto: 6-1, 6-2
• Anhelina Kalinina (15) beat Caroline Wozniacki (WC): 6-2, 6-3
• Jaqueline Cristian beat Madison Keys (8): 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
• Jessica Pegula (1) beat Amanda Anisimova: 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)
• Magda Linette beat Dayana Yastremska (13): 0-6, 6-4, 6-3
• Maria Sakkari (3) beat Viktoriya Tomova: 6-3, 6-3