Defending champion:
Karolína Plíšková (5) who defeated Lesia Tsurenko 4-6 7-5 6-2
Quarter final #3
Kiki Bertens (6) v Naomi Osaka (3)
The pair had played each other twice before for one win apiece, and for five games each appeared solid on serve, love games in the fourth and fifth.
Then all hell broke loose.
Osaka created three break chances, converting the third to lead 4-2. Bertens responded by turning a fairly benign 30-30 into a break back opportunity and the set was alive.
Kiki tried to consolidate the situation, and was at the line for what would be temporarily the longest game of the match.
The sixth seed survived two break points, and even had one game point, but despite visiting deuce three times, she dropped serve when a third break chance arose.
Osaka made no mistakes when serving for the set which ended at 6-3.
Deuce made itself felt just twice in set two, once in the first Osaka service game. The other time was in game four, the only time break points presented themselves. Osaka saved two but not a third, and Bertens took control. As Osaka did in the first, Bertens surrendered just a single point when serving it out 6-3.
Game one of set three was the longest of the match, and perhaps the most pivotal, as Osaka saved four break points before holding serve. Game three was a touch faster, held to love.
Osaka converted the second of two chances in the sixth game, and it was sufficient to keep space between her and Bertens for the rest of the match, although the third seed needed to save a break point in the seventh game.
The reigning AO champion won 6-3 3-6 6-3.
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