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Tomljanovic out, Barty through in WTA Open

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Ajla Tomljanovic has bowed out of the Volvo Open after a straight-sets loss to Sloane Stephens.
Camera IconAjla Tomljanovic has bowed out of the Volvo Open after a straight-sets loss to Sloane Stephens. Credit: AP

Ash Barty has continued her winning run at the WTA's Volvo Open with a tough three-set win over Shelby Rogers.

The world No.1 beat the American 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals.

Rogers, the 28-year-old from nearby South Carolina, presented Barty with a real challenge in an almost two-and-a-half hour battle.

The world No.52 charged from behind to win the second set before tying things at four-all in the third.

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But the Queenslander won the last two games to close out the match, at the season's first clay-court event.

"It has been a very quick turnaround," Barty said of changing surfaces. "I'm still allowing myself time to get used to that. But with each match, that will get better and better."

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Fresh from her win at the Miami Open, Barty will now face Paula Badosa of Spain on Friday for a spot in the semi-finals. Badosa defeated American Catherine McNally 6-3 6-3.

The Australian is the last of the top eight seeds left in Charleston.

Earlier, compatriot Ajla Tomljanovic bowed out in the last 16 after losing in straight sets to Sloane Stephens.

The former US Open champion triumphed 6-3 6-4 to end the Australian's dream run at the tournament.

World No.78 Tomljanovic beat American Christina McHale (6-3 6-0) and Marie Bouzkova (4-6 7-5 7-5) en route to her meeting with world No.57 Stephens.

Stephens will play for a spot in the semi-finals against Russian Veronika Kudermetova.

Things are starting to come together, Stephens said.

"Just getting my competitiveness back, I think, makes me happy," she said. "And being able to fist pump without fighting my own brain, it's nice."

Kudermetova, seeded 15th in the season's first clay-court event, beat Japan's Kurumi Nara 6-0 6-3.

Also through to the next round is 17-year-old Coco Gauff.

The 14th seed beat compatriot Lauren Davis 6-2 7-6 (7-2) while Tunisia's Ons Jabeur also advanced after beating France's Alize Cornet 5-7 6-3 6-3.

Gauff has advanced to the quarter-final round in three of last four tournaments. She said when she lost several points in a row in the second set against Davis, she snapped herself back into the match.

"I try and keep track of that because sometimes you lose focus for 10-15 minutes and that's three or four games," she said.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, seeded third, fell to Danka Kovinic of Montenegro 6-4 6-1.

The sixth seed, Garbine Mugaruza of Spain, was ahead in her match with Yulia Puntintseva of Kazakhstan before retiring with a left leg injury.

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