Birrell enjoying career-best run at WTA tournament in Seoul

Australian Kimberly Birrell advances to a WTA singles quarterfinal for the second time in her career.


Thursday 12 October 2023
Leigh Rogers
Seoul, Korea
TOKYO, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 06: Kimberly Birrell of Australia reacts after a point in the Women's Singles second round match against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines during the 2023 ITF World Tennis Tour W100 Tokyo at Ariake Tennis Forest Park on September 06, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images for ITF)
Seoul, Korea

Kimberly Birrell is having a stellar week at a WTA 250 tournament in Seoul, where she has advanced to the quarterfinals in both singles and doubles.

This is the first time the 25-year-old from the Gold Coast has achieved this feat at a WTA-level event.

The world No.102 secured her place in the singles quarterfinals with a ruthless 6-0 6-1 victory today against local wildcard Dayeon Back.

Back, a 21-year-old ranked No.569, had stunned the tournament's second seed, world No.13 Jelena Ostapenko, in the opening round.

Birrell dominated their second-round encounter however, winning 91 per cent of first-serve points in the 68-minute encounter.

This matches Birrell's career-best singles result at WTA level, having made her first quarterfinal appearance at Merida in February.

To advance to a maiden tour-level semifinal, world No.102 Birrell will need to beat her doubles partner this week, American Emina Bektas.

It is a golden opportunity for both, with world No.116 Bektas also looking to advance to her first WTA singles semifinal.

> READ: Birrell reflects on career-best season

Aussies in action - Seoul

RESULTS
Women's singles, second round
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) d [WC] Dayeon Back (KOR) 6-0 6-1

Women's doubles, quarterfinals
[2] Marie Bouzkova (CZE)/Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) d Kimberly Birrell (AUS)/Emina Bektas (USA) 4-6 6-3 [10-2]

COMING UP
Women's singles, quarterfinals
Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v Emina Bektas (USA)

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