Tennis: Pliskova avoids top seeds cull to reach fourth round at Wimbledon

Pliskova celebrates after winning against Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON (REUTERS) - It proved to be seventh-time lucky for Karolina Pliskova as she avoided joining Wimbledon's cull of seeds to reach the fourth round with a 3-6 7-6(3) 6-1 win over Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu on Friday (July 6).

The Czech appeared to be in danger of becoming the ninth top-10 seed to fall before the last 16 when Buzarnescu bagged the first set and kept Pliskova guessing in the second.

But once the seventh seed survived the second set tiebreak, she raced through the decider to make it through to the second week for the first time in seven attempts.

She will next take on Venus Williams' conqueror Kiki Bertens for a place in the quarter-finals.

Pliskova and world number one Simona Halep are the only top-10 seeds still in the tournament.

Since tennis turned professional in 1968, it is the worst showing at Wimbledon by the women's seeds.

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