Muchova to face Keys in Eastbourne quarters; Boulter ousts Ostapenko

Playing her first tournament in nine months, Karolina Muchova showed little sign of rust as she defeated qualifier Magda Linette 6-4, 6-1 to make the Rothesay International quarterfinals.

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The Czech will next face defending champion and No.4 seed Madison Keys, who posted her first win over Anhelina Kalinina at the fourth attempt 7-6(5), 6-1. Keys had lost to Kalinina at Miami 2022, Rome 2022 and Rome 2023, but saved two set points with clean winners serving at 5-6 in the first set en route to defeating the Ukrainian qualifier.

Muchova had not contested since the US Open last year due to a right wrist injury, for which she underwent surgery in February. Her first match back had been abbreviated after qualifier Elina Avanesyan retired from their first-round tie after just four games due to a left thigh injury. However, the 2023 Roland Garros finalist wasted little time in showing off the range of her talent against Linette.

Muchova broke the Pole in the first game with an array of varied winners, coming up with a drop shot, a net-rush off the return and passing shots off both wings. From there, the 27-year-old rolled to victory, saving all eight break points she faced. In the second set, she demonstrated clutch play as well, coming through eight deuces to break Linette in the opening game again and then building an unassailable 4-0 lead with a six-deuce hold.

Keys won her only previous meeting with Muchova 6-4, 7-6(5) in the first round of Beijing 2019.

Rothesay Open champion Katie Boulter continued her outstanding grass-court campaign with a win over No.5 seed and former champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-5 to advance. The victory is Boulter's fourth Top 20 win of the year and first since the spring hard-court season.

Into her second grass-court quarterfinal of the year, Boulter will face No.3 seed Jasmine Paolini, who advanced after Elise Mertens retired with a hip injury. Boulter is now 7-0 in completed matches on grass this year. Her only loss came by retirement in the first round of the Rothesay Classic last week. 

"Honestly, I was trying to slap a little hit harder than she was," Boulter said. "She hits such a good ball, so tough to play against. You don't know what's going to happen, it's completely in her control. I just tried to be as aggressive and consistent as I could be and make her play every single ball. 

"Today it paid off and thank God I served it out at the end."

Coming off a straight-set win over Petra Martic in the first round, Boulter's consistent pressure on Ostapenko's service games proved the difference on Wednesday. She raced to a 5-1 lead in the opening set before Ostapenko's power game began to shift the tide of the match and snuffed out the Latvian's comeback efforts to win it 6-4. 

With Ostapenko finding her range, the second set proved much tighter. Boulter was forced to work her way back from a break down to keep the match from running to a decisive set. She generated a total of 18 break-point chances on Ostapenko's serve, which grew shakey and leaked nine double faults. The Latvian struck 36 winners to 22 unforced errors, but Boulter hung tough on the baseline and played the decisive points better.