Former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin prevailed in a wild battle with Ajla Tomljanovic to earn a rematch with world number one Ash Barty tonight at the Adelaide International quarter-final.
Kenin was on the cusp of being knocked out of the warm-up event by the Australian Tomljanovic, who had three match points on Kenin's serve in the second set but crumpled in a 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 loss.
Tomljanovic converted just six of 15 break points across the match and made two crucial errors to gift Kenin the decisive break in the third set.
There was drama even before a ball had been hit on Thursday with Kenin, the reigning WTA Player of the Year and 2020 Australian Open winner, needing special approval to wear a heavily-branded top that did not meet WTA regulations.
The American rode the highs and lows from there, fighting back against Tomljanovic to set up a date with Barty, who she upset in the semi-finals en route to that surprise major victory.
Like Tomljanovic on Thursday, Barty had her chances in last year's AO semi-final with set points in both sets of a 7-6 (8-6) 7-5 loss.
Kenin showed terrific steel to prevail again in the final against Garbiñe Muguruza, becoming the first American since Serena Williams to win the women's singles title in Melbourne as she shot to number four in the world.
The American has plateaued since then, though, arriving in Australia as world number 12, and is therefore keen to rediscover her blazing best.
Earlier, defending French Open champion Iga Swiatek stormed into the quarter-finals with a crushing win over 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez.
Fifth-seeded Swiatek joined the top-ranked Barty in the last eight with a 6-1 6-2 rout at Memorial Drive.
The Pole will face Victoria Azarenka next after the two-time Australian Open winner ended the giant-killing run of Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon.
A surprise first-round victor over dual Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, Hon had her moments against Azarenka before the Belarusian prevailed 6-3 7-5 after a tough second-set battle.
Barty had advanced to the quarter-finals on Wednesday night with a tense 4-6 7-5 6-1 comeback victory over American teenager Coco Gauff.
Seventh-seeded Elina Rybakina and American Shelby Rogers, who ousted Greek third seed Maria Sakkari, have already set up a quarter-final clash.
The other last-eight match-up will feature Slovenian Kaja Juvan, the surprise slayer of world number two Aryna Sabalenka, against Japan's Misaki Doi.
AAP/ABC Sport
