KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — Poland’s Magda Linette has reached her first quarter-final of the season after fourth seed Peng Shuai retired in the first set after 29 minutes at the ALYA WTA Malaysian Open at the TPC Kuala Lumpur today.
World No.93 Magda was leading 5-2 in the first set when the 49th-ranked and tournament’s fourth seed Chinese called it quits.
It was later confirmed that Peng Shuai, who reached the final of the Taiwan Open earlier last month, retired due to lower back injury.
Magda was delighted to reach the last eight for the first time since Tokyo last September.
“It’s always a surprise when someone retires, but I still had to step up,” said the 2015 Japan Open finalist. I was aggressive enough and I’m happy to be through.”
Peng Shuai was clearly dejected after failing to join her other four compatriots – Duan Yingying and Wang Qiang, the fifth and sixth seed, Han Xinyun and Zhang Kai Lin – in the quaterfinals.
She said by travelling to too many tournaments over the last few weeks had taken its toll on her.
Prior to travelling to Kuala Lumpur, she also competed in Taipei, Doha and Dubai. She also played in doubles in Doha and Dubai, where she reached the final with Andrea Hlavaclova.
“I’m just too tired. I wished I could carry on playing, but my body condition just didn’t allow me to,” said Peng Shuai, who was the quarterfinalist on her last visit in 2012.
Magda who will next take on Yingying for a place in the semifinals, who had to dig deep for almost two hours to beat Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 in the other second round clash.
“We met twice before so I knew what to expect. I started pretty well in the first set but she changed her tactics in the second,” said Yingying.
“She was playing more from the baseline and was putting more pressure on me as I couldn’t adapt. But I improved a lot more in the last few points in the third and I’m relieved to be through to the next round.”
Wang Qiang, who famously ousted top seed Caroline Wozniacki in 2013, then as a qualifier, is also going great guns in the tournament.
She outplayed compatriot Zheng Saisai 6-1, 6-1 to reach her second straight quarter-finals.
“Today I took a pretty relaxed approach to the match. But it was still a tough match nonetheless,” said the world No.60.
“But I think it’s mostly because Saisai is not in the best condition at the moment. I am playing pretty good at the moment and I’m looking forward to the next match.”
The other quarter-finalists are Australian Ashleigh Barty and Han Xinyu.
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