Qualifier Parks into Ostrava quarter-finals, shocks Sakkari

American qualifier Alycia Parks followed up her straight-sets win over Karolina Pliskova and moved into the last eight of the Ostrava Open by edging out Greek Maria Sakkari, the No 4 seed, 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 at the Ostravar Aréna on Thursday.

It is Parks’s first-ever top 10 win in her debut appearance at Ostrava in just her third career hard court main draw.

Parks, ranked No 144, will face Czech Barbora Krejcikova next.

The 21-year-old American won against Czech Pliskova (6-0, 7-6 (3)) ahead of her victory.

Sakkari needed more points in Ostrava this week to confirm her place at the season-ending WTA Finals.

It is Sakkari’s worst-ever performance in Ostrava, having finished as runner-up last year and achieveing a semi-final spot in 2020.

She has also now lost to a player outside the top 100 three times this year (Laura Siegemund via retirement in Stuttgart, and Tatjana Maria at Wimbledon).

Ostrava WTA 500, other second-round results:

• Ekaterina Alexandrova vs. Daria Kasatkina
• Anett Kontaveit vs. Tereza Martincova
• Belinda Bencic vs. Barbora Krejcikova
• Catherine McNally vs. Karolina Muchova
• Elena Rybakina beat Aliaksandra Sasnovich: 6-7 (5), 6-4, 7-5
• Petra Kvitova (WC) beat Paula Badosa (2): 7-6 (4), 6-4
• Iga Swiatek (1) beat Ajla Tomljanovic (Q): 7-5, 2-2 ret.