Azarenka beats qualifier to move into Berlin quarterfinals

BERLIN -- Former top-ranked player Victoria Azarenka clinched a spot in the quarterfinals of the grass-court Berlin tournament with a 6-3, 6-3 win over qualifier Zeynep Sonmez on Wednesday.

Now ranked 19th, Azarenka broke her rival five times and managed to save five break points.

It was the first time that Azarenka played Sonmez, a 22-year-old from Turkey who produced her first career tour-level win against Arantxa Rus on Monday.

Azarenka, who is from Belarus, was a semifinalist in Berlin in 2021. The two-time Grand Slam champion has never won a title on grass.

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis