Elena Rybakina marches on towards Sunshine Double

The in-form Kazakh, fresh from winning the title at Indian Wells, had far too much for her opponent and moved her two wins away from becoming only the fifth female player to do the 'Sunshine Double'.

"For sure I don't have any pressure," Rybakina told wtatennis.com.

"I know that it's very difficult and not many players did it. Plus I was match point down the other match, so I really don't think so far in the draw.

"I just need to focus match by match, and I have a tough opponent. Of course it would be amazing to achieve something like that, but it's still far away."

Rybakina, who did not lose another game after being broken to cut her lead to 4-3 in the opening set, became the first female player this season to hit 200 aces in the course of the match. The win sets up a clash with Jessica Pegula, who rallied to save two match points against Anastasia Potapova to win 4-6 6-3 7-6(2) in an entertaining affair.

"I don't mind playing her, at least in the past," Pegula said of the rampant Rybakina.

"Obviously she's picked up her level since then, so it'll be a tough test, especially after this match, just physically see how I feel. Hopefully I can recover in time. At least I have another day."

"I think she and Sabalenka are the ones to beat right now so it's going to be a great test and a deserved semi for a tournament like this."

Aryna Sabalenka, whom Rybakina beat to triumph in Indian Wells, reached the quarterfinals with a 6-3 6-2 win over Barbora Krejcikova.