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Lucky-loser Tsurenko keeps going in New Haven

Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) returns a ball against Sara Errani (not pictured) during the quarter finals of the Rogers Cup tennis tournament at Aviva Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

(Reuters) - Lucky-loser entry Lesia Tsurenko of the Ukraine assumed the role of giant-killer on Thursday as she upset fifth-seeded Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-2 6-2 in the quarter-finals of the Connecticut Open in New Haven. Tsurenko, who lost in qualifying but was given an entry into the main draw when top-seeded Romanian Simona Halep withdrew because of an injury, has yet to drop a set in the tournament. The 46th-ranked Ukrainian will next face fourth-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova, who came from a set down to scrape past Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 7(4) 6-4 7-5 in just under three hours. "It was actually really relaxing for me because I was really disappointed with my loss in qualies," Tsurenko said courtside after her win against Pliskova, the world number eight. "Then I got in and I felt this is probably my chance to show some good tennis and try some stuff for the U.S. Open (which starts on Monday). "So I think it was a good chance for me to play good. I don't feel any pressure because I'm playing players who are higher ranked than me." French Open finalist and world number six Safarova battled back from a break down in the final set to beat Cibulkova for only the second time in six career meetings. "I was just fighting for each point because I know she's a big fighter, and my (head-to-head) score wasn't positive against her," Safarova said of her plucky win against the 58th-ranked Slovakian. "So I'm really happy to pull this out." Second-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova blasted six aces past seventh seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland and broke her opponent's serve five times on the way to a 7-5 6-4 victory after one hour and 40 minutes. Left-hander Kvitova will next meet either third-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki, a four-time Connecticut Open champion, or Caroline Garcia of France who were scheduled to play in Thursday's evening quarter-final. (Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue)