Vinci, Zakopalova reach quarters
Roberta Vinci beat American qualifier Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the WTA Paris Open.
The seventh-seeded Italian broke twice in the final set, clinching victory when Mattek-Sands sent a backhand into the net.
Mattek-Sands struggled with her serve in the first set, making four double-faults and landing only 45 percent of her first serves.
But the American jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the next set to level the match when Vinci sent a forehand wide.
Mattek-Sands finished the match despite a lower back injury. She was in pain at 3-2 in the decider, sobbing during the changeover and calling a therapist to massage her left hip and thigh.
German pair Mona Barthel and Angelique Kerber and Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic also moved into the quarterfinals.
Barthel beat Pauline Parmentier 6-3, 6-0, hitting 26 winners to 6 for the French wildcard.
Barthel, who won the Hobart International last month in Australia, converted her second match point with a backhand crosscourt winner.
Zakopalova advanced to her first quarterfinal since the Korea Open in September, cruising past Tsvetana Pironkova 6-0, 6-3.
Kerber, a US Open semfinalist, edged out Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.