Keys leads American charge into quarter-finals at Queen’s Club; Khachanov sails in Den Bosch

Second seed Madison Keys powered into the quarter-finals of the Queen’s Club Championships with a 6-3 6-2 win over Anastasia Zakharova on Wednesday while fellow Americans Emma Navarro and Amanda Anisimova also progressed.

Australian Open champion Keys had an early wobble in the opening set in her first grasscourt match of the season when she found herself 3-1 down as she tried to find her footing.

But she did not panic and quickly recovered to win the next five games, sealing the set with an ace straight down the middle.

Zakharova had her moments in the second set but could not contend with the power of Keys, who converted five break points and clinched victory with an unreturned serve to wrap up the contest in 68 minutes.

“Always tough to play your first match on the grass, especially against someone who’s already played a few matches. But overall, pretty happy and happy that I get another match here,” Keys said.

“The first couple of games felt like I was just trying to find my footing. Once I did, I feel like I played really well.”

Third seed Navarro overcame a nightmare opening set and also saved match point to beat Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia 1-6 7-6(4) 6-3.

After Navarro saved a match point in the second set, Haddad Maia led 4-2 in the tiebreak but the Brazilian lost her momentum when play was paused so an audience member could receive medical treatment.

Haddad Maia then began making errors and Navarro pounced, forcing a decider where the Brazilian lost serve with a double fault before Navarro clinched victory in a match that lasted nearly three hours.

“It wasn’t easy. I think I’ve spent the most time on a match court with Bea than anyone else. We play each other all the time and we always go to three sets,” Navarro said.

“I’ve only been playing on grass for about four days, it’s a quick turnaround.”

Navarro set up a quarter-final clash with Anisimova, who needed only 64 minutes to beat Sonay Kartal 6-1 6-3, the second Briton she had beaten at the tournament after Jodie Burrage.

“I’m so sorry, guys,” she told the home fans. “There’s been some tough matches here but I am enjoying it and glad to be through to the next round.

“There are so many strong girls right now in America and I am so happy to see us doing well. I am sure the match with Emma will be a battle. She is a tough player and I am looking forward to it.”

Any home hopes of British success in the doubles also went up in smoke when Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter lost 6-2 7-5 to top seeds Erin Routliffe and Lyudmyla Kichenok.

Khachanov, Hurkacz advance: Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz and Russia’s Karen Khachanov made winning starts to their Libema Open campaigns in Den Bosch, Netherlands on Wednesday, while top seed Liudmila Samsonova suffered a shock loss to Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine.

In her first appearance in a WTA Tour main draw, world number 231 Branstine sealed a breakthrough 6-4 5-7 6-1 win over defending champion Samsonova.

Their match had been halted on Tuesday due to darkness at one set apiece, but Branstine returned to dominate the decider, not facing a single break point while converting two of her four break opportunities.

Branstine, who was born in California and represented the United States until 2017, will next face fellow qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania.

Fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz overcame a back issue, requiring two medical timeouts, to defeat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(2) 6-4 and book his spot in the second round.

The 28-year-old Pole will next take on 22-year-old Estonian Mark Lajal, who beat Serbia’s Laslo Djere 6-2 6-4. “It’s my first time here and I’m really loving it,” said Hurkacz.

Reuters