Kamilla Rakhimova reached the Tokyo WTA 500 quarterfinals by defeating Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5) on Wednesday, October 28. The round-of-16 match was settled only in the deciding-set tiebreak.
A victory in three acts
Rakhimova took the lead by closing the opening set 6-4. Alexandrova answered with the same score in the second, sending the contest into a decider without either player turning her momentum into lasting control.
In the final tiebreak, Rakhimova reached seven points with a two-point margin and completed the match 7-5. The result eliminated Alexandrova and put the Uzbek lucky loser among the final eight in Tokyo.
Campaign context
Alexandrova had entered the match after a 6-4, 6-4 first-round win over Ann Li. Rakhimova, meanwhile, was listed in the draw as a lucky loser and moved directly into the round of 16 after the bracket was reshaped.
The win extends Rakhimova's run at an outdoor hard-court WTA 500 event. The WTA's official highlights capture the match's changing direction and the tiebreak that decided the quarterfinal place.
