Cocciaretto defeats Vekic for biggest career win in Palermo

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Palermo, August 6: Elisabetta Cocciaretto scored the biggest win of her young career by defeating Donna Vekic to reach a maiden WTA quarter-final at the Palermo Ladies Open.

The 19-year-old, the youngest player in the draw, was a 6-2 6-4 victor over the Croatian sixth seed in Wednesday's round-of-16 match.

It marks the first time Cocciaretto has defeated a top-30 player in her career.

There was more Italian joy as Sara Errani, a two-time champion, made it to the last eight in Palermo for the eighth time after coming back to defeat Kristyna Pliskova 3-6 6-4 6-3.

Home favourite Errani lost the first 13 points of the match but roared back for a 180th career win on clay – more than any other active player – and will next face Fiona Ferro, who defeated eighth seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-5 6-2.

Rounding out the action, Aliaksandra Sasnovich hammered Jasmine Paolini 6-0 6-2.