Muguruza eases into Linz quarterfinals

Madison Keys and Dominika Cibulkova saw their hopes of a place in the Finals in Singapore boosted by Johanna Konta's withdrawal from the Hong Kong Open, and they each avoided second-round slips with comprehensive victories in Austria.

Spanish tennis player Garbine Muguruza powered to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Monica Niculescu in 63 minutes on Thursday.

Garbine Muguruza eased into the quarterfinals of the Generali Ladies Linz on Thursday with a dominant showing against Monica Niculescu.

The French Open champion and top seed made short work of her Romanian opponent, who won just one service game as Muguruza powered to a 6-1, 6-1 victory in 63 minutes.

Muguruza, who is sixth on the Road to Singapore standings but yet to clinch her place in the WTA Tour Finals, will now face Viktorija Golubic — a 7-5, 6-4 winner over Julia Goerges.

Madison Keys and Dominika Cibulkova saw their hopes of a place in the Finals in Singapore boosted by Johanna Konta's withdrawal from the Hong Kong Open, and they each avoided second-round slips with comprehensive victories in Austria.

Third seed Keys, seventh on the Road to Singapore rankings, did not face a break point and dropped only a point on her first serve in a 6-2, 6-0 thrashing of Misaki Doi that took the American just 47 minutes to complete.

Cibulkova is level on points with Konta in the race for a place in Finals and wrapped up a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 triumph over Annika Beck.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is next up for second seed Cibulkova after the Russian fifth seed recovered from a 4-1 deficit in the first set to defeat Kirsten Flipkens 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).