Brits impress at Lexus Wrexham Open as four progress to today's quarter-finals

Pictured: Mimi Xu was pleased to complete a first round victory at the Lexus Wrexham Open. Picture: James Baylis.

It was an excellent day for the Brits at the Lexus Wrexham Open as Lily Miyazaki, Ella McDonald, Mika Stojsavljevic and Mimi Xu progressed to today's quarter-finals.

Miyazaki, the British No. 8, produced a fine performance to beat top seed Jessika Ponchet from France - currently ranked 168 in the world - 6-2, 6-4 at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre.

"I'm definitely very pleased today with my performance, compared to yesterday," said Miyazaki. "She was the favourite on paper, so I could play a bit more freely and I think I managed to do that, so, yes, I'm happy with my performance.

"Jessika's a really tough opponent. I've played her many times before so I knew what to expect, but I think I managed to neutralise her weapons and I managed to put my game out there."

Miyazaki will now face Belgian qualifier Jana Otzipka, who knocked out fifth seed Raluca Georgiana Serban from Cyprus 6-3, 7-5.

On being in the last eight, Miyazaki added: “I’m really happy. To be honest, coming into this tournament I didn't really know what to expect because I think my results the last few weeks have been up and down sometimes. I'm just taking it match by match, and I'm really happy to be in the quarters."

Welsh ace Xu had to call on all her powers of recovery to come through her second round match against Andre Lukosiute, eventually beating her Lithuanian opponent 7-5, 7-5.

Xu trailed 5-1 in the opening set before hitting back, while she was 3-0 down in the second ahead of fighting back once more.

"Obviously, it was definitely a tough match," said Xu, 18, from Swansea. "She came out at the start of both sets hitting some amazing shots and all credit to her for putting me under pressure straightaway, but I'm proud of myself how I fought back from being down a double break in both sets, and then I just stuck with it and I'm happy to be through."

Just like in her first round win, Xu responded positively to the support of the home crowd as she moved into the last eight of the ITF World Tennis Tour event.

"I really felt at home here again," she added. "I'm really grateful for everyone who came to support me today. That's what helped me get through it as well.

As for now being in the quarter-finals, where she will face French sixth seed Harmony Tan - the only seeded player through to the last eight, after beating Sweden's Kajsa Rinaldo Persson 6-3, 7-5 - Xu said: "It's an amazing feeling. I can't wait to get back out there tomorrow just to play and really enjoy every moment out there."

Stojsavljevic, 16, the former US Open girls' singles champion, continued her fine form with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over British No.9 Amarni Banks, and will now face Czech qualifier Lucie Havlickova, who beat fourth seed Kathinka von Deichmann from Liechtenstein 6-1, 6-4.

McDonald booked her place in the last eight with a 6-3, 7-5 triumph against Czech qualifier Ivana Sebestova.

"It was good," said McDonald, 20, from Preston. "I played really well in the first set. My level dipped a bit in the second, but I managed to fight back and take that second set.

"I was scrambling a little bit, but just that competitive edge helped me over the line.”

McDonald is enjoying having the chance to return to Wrexham to play this week: "I haven't been to Wrexham in years," she added. "When I was younger I played a few of the tournaments here and it's a really nice club and I'm glad to be here. They do a really good job organising it. Everyone here doing all the behind the scenes stuff is really good." 

McDonald will next play Elena Malygina after the Estonian's 7-6, 6-0 victory over Katarina Kuzmova from Slovakia.

Three of the British singles quarter-finalists - McDonald, Miyazaki and Xu - completed a great day’s work by then reaching the semi-finals of the doubles.

McDonald and Xu teamed up to defeat third seeds Naima Karamoko and Ponchet, winning a third set tiebreak 10-6. 

They will meet another all-British pair Miyazaki and Freya Christie in the last four tomorrow after they also won a third set tiebreak to knock out second seeds Camilla Rosatello and Eden Silva.  

There will also be British interest in the other doubles semi-finals this afternoon, with Banks and Valentina Ryser from Switzerland through to face Malygina and Rinaldo Persson.

They both also advanced by winning third set tiebreaks against Alicia Dudeney and Laura Hietaranta, and Julia Avdeeva and Kuzmova respectively. 

Tickets to watch today's quarter-finals, which start at 10.30am, from court-side stands cost £22.50, with under-16 tickets also available priced £17.50, which includes a 44-page tournament programme.

Pictured: British players Lily Miyazaki, Ella McDonald, Mika Stojsavljevic and Mimi Xu progressed to the quarter-finals of the Lexus Wrexham Open. Pictures: James Baylis.