By Chris Oddo | Thursday July 23, 2015
18-year-old Darya Kasatkina reaches her first WTA quarterfinal on Thursday in Bad Gastein.
Photo Source: NÜRNBERGER Gastein Ladies
Last year’s French Open girls’ singles champion Darya Kasatkina is breaking through on the senior tour now. The 18-year-old reached her first career quarterfinal with a comeback win over 6th-seeded Julia Goerges of Germany, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.
More: Flipkens Rallies Past Cornet in Istanbul
Kasatkina has won 23 of her last 26 professional matches, a hot streak that includes three challenger titles.
This week, after qualifying for her second consecutive main draw, she defeated Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic before avenging her loss last week in Bucharest against Goerges.
Kasatkina will face top-seeded Sara Errani in the quarterfinals. Errani saved a match point to defeat Ukranian qualifier Maryna Zanevska, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. After opening up 6-2, 2-0 lead, the Italian suddenly found herself facing a match point whilst trailing 5-2 in the decider. She saved it and rallied on to take the last five games.
Also advancing on Thursday in Bad Gastein was last year’s Bucharest winner, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. The seventh seed was leading Andreea Mitu 6-1 when the Romanian had to retire with a shoulder injury.