Iga Swiatek hit a new milestone on Thursday as she stormed into a second consecutive Wuhan Open quarter-final with a 6-1, 6-4 win over American lucky loser Ashlyn Krueger.
The six-time Grand Slam champion recorded the 150th WTA 1000 victory of her career to continue her march towards a 13th title at this level.
Since the Tier I/WTA 1000 format’s introduction in 1990, Swiatek is just the third player to claim 150 wins from her first 50 main-draw appearances in such events, after Martina Hingis (162) and Serena Williams (153).
“I just wanted to focus on adjusting and being brave and, at the end, I’m happy that I was,” said the seventh-seeded Swiatek, who needs a title this week to strengthen her chances of qualifying for next month’s WTA Finals in Indian Wells.
“For sure I feel like I am playing better than at the beginning of the season, so I’m ready to push and I’m happy to be in the quarters for sure.”
The 25-year-old Pole, who awaits Ann Li or Janice Tjen in the quarter-finals, is one of just two top-10 seeds still standing in a draw that has witnessed a slew of high-profile exits.
A day after the shocking departures of the top two seeds, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula, sixth-seeded Karolina Muchova and 10th-seeded Iva Jovic also bid Wuhan farewell.
Maja Chwalinska, a finalist at the French Open this year, enjoyed a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over American world number 11 Jovic to set up a quarter-final with Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
Diana Shnaider’s 7-5, 6-3 victory against Muchova was the Russian’s fourth career triumph over a top-10 opponent.
The 22-year-old will next take on Jelena Ostapenko for a place in the final four.
British world number 170 Sonay Kartal sent another seed packing after knocking out ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic in the second round.
This time she delivered a crushing 6-2, 6-0 blow to last year’s Wuhan semi-finalist Jasmine Paolini, the number 15 seed.
World number six Elina Svitolina avoided the seed exodus as she eased into the quarter-finals by ending the inspired run of Chinese wild card Guo Hanyu 6-1, 6-4.
She plays Kartal next.