Former top-ranked Venus Williams continued her impressive run at the Toray Pan Pacific 2013 tournament with a tough three set victory over 13th-seed Simona Halep of Romania 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. The American upset top-seed Victoria Azarenka in the previous round.
“It was very tough – she played so well, she played amazing,” Williams said during her on-court interview. “I don’t know how I was able to win today – I just wanted to stay in Japan longer and play for you guys!
It seemed like Halep was headed to victory after winning the first set and was up a break three times in the second. However Williams, a 7-time Grand Slam singles champion, was not about to quit without a fight and her efforts paid off when she won six out of the last seven games to close out the match.
“But I’m very happy to arrive in the quarterfinals. I’m taking it one match at a time and I like it,” she added.
Williams will face Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in the quarterfinals.
