Zhang Shuai put an end to any hopes of a home winner at the Japan Women's Open, knocking out Nao Hibino to reach the quarterfinals in Hiroshima.
The Chinese top seed triumphed 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to record back-to-back victories at a tournament for the first time since the JiangXi Open in July.
Hibino was the only one of four Japanese players in the field to make it to the second round, yet the wildcard's run came to an end after she converted just three out of 10 break-point opportunities.
"I'm still so tired from New York. I really like it here, at this tournament, so that's why I came here and I tried my best. Second set, it was really, really tough, I had no more energy," Zhang told the WTA Tour .
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Next up for the world number 41 will be Zarina Diyas, who had to come from a set down to see off Kateryna Kozlova. The defending champion, seeded sixth for this year's tournament, was on court for over two and a half hours before finally recording a hard-fought 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 7-5 triumph.
Second seed Hsieh Su-wei had no such problems against Mandy Minella, winning 6-3, 6-2, while Magda Linette saw off Tamara Zidansek in straight sets, avenging two losses against the Slovenian, earlier, in 2018.
Anna Karolina Schmiedlova's reward for beating Viktorija Golubic in a three-set tussle is a last-eight tie with Amanda Anisimova, meaning an unseeded player is sure to make it through to the semifinals.
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