Lucky loser Astra Sharma sweeps past 16th seed at WTA 500 event as Rinky Hijikata stumbles in Houston.
Charleston, USA, 4 April 2024 | Dan Imhoff
Charleston, USA
Astra Sharma will meet third seed Maria Sakkari for a place in her first tour-level quarterfinal in almost two years after a straight-sets upset of Lesia Tsurenko at Charleston on Wednesday.
The Australian lucky loser backed up her win over countrywoman Arina Rodionova – her first WTA main-draw victory since July – with a 6-4 6-0 victory over the 16th-seeded Ukrainian.
A champion at a Charleston WTA 250 event in 2021, in which she beat former world No.2 Ons Jabeur in the final, the 28-year-old moved to within one win of her first WTA quarterfinal since Rabat in May 2022.
Aussies in action – Charleston
RESULTS
Women’s singles, second round
[LL] Astra Sharma (AUS) d [16] Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 6-4 6-0
COMING UP
Women’s singles, second round
[Q] Daria Saville (AUS) v [7] Elina Svitolina (UKR)
Women’s singles, third round
[LL] Astra Sharma (AUS) v [3] Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Women’s doubles, quarterfinals
[1] Ellen Perez (AUS)/Nicole Melichar-Martinez (USA) v Magda Linette (POL)/Zhang Shuai (CHN)
Houston, USA
Brandon Nakashima has halted Australian Rinky Hijikata’s bid to claim back-to-back wins on clay for the first time at Houston.
The 80th-ranked Hijikata was seeking third tour-level quarterfinal of the season but was unable to match the 22-year-old American in a 6-1 6-4 second-round defeat.
Hijikata had picked up his maiden ATP clay-court win over fifth seed Christopher Eubanks at the first hurdle.
After an injury-marred 2023, 92nd-ranked Nakashima will face either top seed Ben Shelton or Zizou Bergs in his first quarterfinal since Lyon in May.
Aussies in action – Houston
RESULTS
Men’s singles, second round
Brandon Nakashima (USA) d Rinky Hijikata (AUS) 6-1 6-4
Men’s doubles, second round
4] Max Purcell (AUS)/Jordan Thompson (AUS) d Anirudh Chandrasekar (IND)/Vijay-Sundar Prashanth (IND) 3-6 6-3 [10-5]
COMING UP
Men’s singles, second round
James Duckworth (AUS) v [3] Frances Tiafoe (USA)
[8] Max Purcell (AUS) v [WC] Michael Mmoh (USA)
Men’s doubles, second round
John Peers (AUS)/William Blumberg (USA) v [WC] Andres Andrade (ECU)/Ben Shelton (USA)
Andrew Harris (AUS)/Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v Luciano Darderi (ITA)/Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) or Fernando Romboli (BRA)/Marcelo Zormann Da Silva (BRA)
Marrakech, Morocco
Aussies in action –…
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