ROMANIAN veteran Sorana Cirstea is on the verge of a return to the Top 100 after amassing her third Top 20 victory in a fortnight overnight. The 34-year-old Cirstea – who turns 35 in April – fought through a tough challenge against second seed and world number 13 Diana Shnaider in Austin to book her place in the ATX Open quarter finals.

In a two-hour and five-minute battle, Cirstea overcame Shnaider by recomposing herself for the deciding set and winning 6-3 2-6 6-4 to head to the last eight in the WTA250 event. On a day where the WTA’s new slogan “Rally the World” was announced, Cirstea certainly buckled down in the rallies, grinding out a tough three-setter thanks to a break in the fifth game.

It was a relieving bounce-back set following a disappointing second set where the young Russian broke twice, winning the last four games to level the match. Earlier on, Cirstea had worked hard for as much as a 5-1 lead in the first set before being broken when serving for the match, only to eventually hold out to secure it and go ahead.

In total, the underdog hit four more winners (28-24) and only three more unforced errors (31-28) while winning 61 and 60 per cent of her first and second serve points off a 66 per cent clip, eerily similar to Shnaider’s 59 and 65 per cent off a 65 per cent clip. Her six aces to one ensured Cirstea won some cheap service points when she needed it.

On the verge of cracking the Top 100 again, Cirstea will take on fifth seed McCartney Kessler tomorrow for a spot in the ATX Open semi-finals. Kessler made the final eight after winning against Spanish qualifier Cristina Bucsa in a tougher-than-expected contest.

There was nothing tough about Belgian Greet Minnen victory over eighth seed Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens, with Minnen needing just 56 minutes as she reeled off 12 consecutive games after being broken in the first one to win 6-1 6-0. She also faces an American in the quarter finals, with Caroline Dolehide grinding past Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva in three sets.

Over in Merida, the biggest upset of the day was Slovakian Rebecca Sramkova‘s victory over third seed Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, when she won 7-6 6-3. The day was marred by two retirements with British qualifier Francesca Jones forced out when up 4-3 in the third sed which allowed fellow qualifier Emiliana Arango safe passage to the last eight, while Poland’s Magda Linette retired when down a break in the second set against reigning champion Turkish wildcard Zeynep Sonmez.