Canada's Bianca Andreescu through to quarterfinals at Thailand Open
Fellow Canadian Auger-Aliassime 1st player named to Team World for 2023 Laver Cup
Top-seed Bianca Andreescu advanced to the quarterfinals of the Thailand Open tennis tournament with a 6-2, 7-5 win over Russia's Anastasia Zakharova on Thursday.
The native of Mississauga, Ont., wrapped up the match on her first match point when Zakharova returned Andreescu's serve into the net.
Andreescu, the world No. 42, had four aces while allowing none, and was perfect on four break point chances in her first WTA Tour match against Zakharova.
Zakharova, ranked 96th in the world, was good on her only break-point opportunity.
WATCH | Andreescu downs Zakharova:
Andreescu will next face fifth-seed Marta Kostyuk.
It will be the first career meeting between Andreescu and the Ukrainian, who is ranked 60th in the world.
Auger-Aliassime back on Laver Cup team
Meanwhile, Felix Auger-Aliassime will look to help Team World defend its Laver Cup title when the tournament comes to Canada this fall.
The 22-year-old from Montreal became the first player named to captain John McEnroe's six-man team Thursday.
Last year, he helped Team World down Team Europe in London to capture its first win in the annual tournament.
Auger-Aliassime is currently ranked No. 7 in the world, and is coming off a 2022 campaign where he won his first four career ATP Tour titles and helped Canada to its first Davis Cup victory.
The Laver Cup will be held in Vancouver from Sept. 22-24 and will see six of the top men's players from across Europe battle six of the top players from around the world.
The top-three ranked players from each team as of the Monday after Wimbledon are guaranteed an invitation to play, while the remaining three are captains' picks.
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