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Giorgi upsets Stephens at Pan Pacific Open

Koji Watanabe / Getty Images Sport / Getty

OSAKA, Japan (AP) Camila Giorgi dropped just three games to upset third-seeded Sloane Stephens 6-0, 6-3 in the second round of the Toray Pan Pacific Open on Thursday.

The unseeded Italian, who reached the semifinals last year, beat the 2017 U.S. Open champion to set up a quarterfinal match against Belgian Elise Mertens.

''It was a good match for sure and I was able to play my game, show off my attacking style and be consistent,'' Giorgi said.

''When I play I always focus on myself. I only made a few mistakes. That's always been my way, ever since I was little, to attack, to go forward, to put the pressure on. This surface suits my game, too.''

Giorgi dropped her serve at 5-2 in the second set but she sealed the victory in the next game on her fourth match point.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who beat second-seeded Kiki Bertens 6-1, 7-5 to progress to the last eight, described her win as ''super-tough.''

Wild card Misaki Doi will be Pavlyuchenkova's opponent in the last eight after the Japanese upset seventh-seeded Donna Vekic 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan faces top-seeded Naomi Osaka of Japan in the quarterfinals after she defeated qualifier Varvara Flink 6-1, 6-1.

At the Korea Open in Seoul, third-seeded Karolina Muchova reached her third quarterfinal in her last four tournaments when she defeated qualifier Timea Babos 6-2, 6-3.

''I was trying to be more focused on myself, to play my game, and it worked out,'' the Czech said. ''I think I played pretty solid today, and it was enough to win the match.''

Muchova will next take on Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon, who edged fifth-seeded Ajla Tomljanovic in three sets, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

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