Andreescu breezes past Brady to set up Osaka quarter-final

Bianca Andreescu swatted aside Jennifer Brady to set up a mouth-watering China Open quarter-final with Naomi Osaka.

US Open champion Andreescu took just 67 minutes to defeat qualifier Brady 6-1 6-3 and extend her winning streak on the WTA Tour to 17 matches on Thursday.

The Canadian’s next opponent is two-time major champion Osaka, who won 10 straight games to come from a break down and seal a 6-4 6-0 victory over Alison Riske.

Caroline Wozniacki beat Katerina Siniakova 7-5 6-4 to reach her second quarter-final of the season. The 16th seed will face Daria Kasatkina after the Russian beat compatriot Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4 6-3.

SOMETHING’S GOT TO GIVE

Andreescu has not suffered defeat in a completed match since Acapulco in March, while Osaka has won her past seven matches in straight sets.

Ahead of their first meeting on the WTA Tour, Osaka thinks the fifth seed is in better form than she was after claiming her maiden major at the 2018 US Open.

“I was watching her play Toronto when I was there. It’s pretty obvious she is an amazing player,” the Japanese, who won the Pan Pacific Open last month, said of Andreescu.

“I don’t know. I feel like she’s doing better than I was last year, so it’s all cool. I have to learn from her, too.”

“I’m relaxed, but I’m a little bit angry. It’s an angry relaxed.”

More from Naomi Osaka after her 64 60 win over Alison Riske to make the quarterfinals @ChinaOpen: pic.twitter.com/eUVUCdEUAW

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) October 3, 2019

WOZNIACKI ON FORM

Two-time China Open champion Wozniacki twice battled from a break down to take the opening set against Siniakova, who saved a break point to avoid going 5-1 down in the second.

The Czech rallied to get back into the match but paid the price for making 43 unforced errors.

“I’m happy to have played well so far in the tournament. I’ve been feeling pretty good. That’s always a plus. We’ll just see,” said Wozniacki.

“Hopefully it’s not the end of the tournament for me. Hopefully I have a couple more matches in me. I’m just going to go and see.”

Quarter-finals here we come! @CaroWozniacki claims victory in two sets against Siniakova, 7-5, 6-4#ChinaOpen @ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/UN889tCrYU

— WTA (@WTA) October 3, 2019

THE RUSSIAN WALL

Alexandrova charged ahead in an opening set that saw just three holds of serve, but Kasatkina put two of them together to take five straight games and seize the initiative.

Kasatkina displayed immense defence to do so and she kept it up in the second to triumph despite twice dropping serve.

“The Russian wall came back in China,” said Kasatkina of her tenacious play. “She was better at the beginning, but together with Carlos [Martinez, her coach] I managed to get my game back and start to play better.”