<p>CHARLESTON, S.C. — Former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens reached the quarterfinals of the Volvo Car Open on Thursday, her first time advancing this far in a tournament since the French Open in 2019. </p>
<p>Stephens, the American who won her grand slam title in 2017, ousted Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 6-4. Stephens will play for a spot in the semifinals against Russian Veronika Kudermetova. Kudermetova, seeded 15th in the season’s first clay-court event, topped Kurumi Nara of Japan 6-0, 6-3. </p>
<p>World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty, who won the Miami Open title last Saturday, has a third-round match Thursday night. She is the last of the top eight seeds left in Charleston. </p>
<p>Stephens had been on a slide the past two seasons, falling from No. 3 in the world to 57th entering this event. But she’s won three times here, winning 11 of the final 12 points against Tomljanovic. </p>
<p>Things are starting to come together, Stephens said. </p>
<p>“Just getting my competitiveness back, I think, makes me happy,” she said. “And being able to fist pump without fighting my own brain, it’s nice.”</p>
<p>Also reaching the quarters is the youngest competitor here in 17-year-old American Coco Gauff, the 14th seed who defeated countrywoman Lauren Davis 6-2, 7-6 (2). </p>
<p>Gauff has advanced to the quarterfinal round in three of last four tournaments. She said when she lost several points in a row in the second set against Davis, she snapped herself back into the match. </p>
<p>“I try and keep track of that because sometimes you lose focus for 10-15 minutes and that’s three or four games,” she said. </p>
<p>Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, seeded third, fell to Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, 6-4, 6-1. </p>
<p>The sixth seed, Garbine Mugaruza of Spain, was ahead in her match with Yulia Puntintseva of Khazakstan before retiring with a left leg injury. </p>
