UPDATE 3pm: Fourth seed Angelique Kerber has recovered from a break down in the final set to edge past Puerto Rican teenager Monica Puig 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(7) for a quarterfinal berth.
World No.5 Kerber came back from 4-1 down in the third set and trailed 5-2 in the deciding tiebreaker before finally overcoming the plucky world No.124-ranked 19-year-old.
It abruptly ended a giant-killing trend in Brisbane which had already claimed five of the top eight women’s seeds.
“It seemed like I was down 4-1 after five minutes (in the third set),” Kerber said.
“It was difficult. I had not seen her play before. It was a big surprise.
“It was tough physically. She (Puig) will be in the top 50 very soon.”