Karolina Pliskova paid tribute to Alison Riske after overcoming the American's challenge to reach the quarter-finals at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship on Wednesday night.
The world No 5 had to go through two tie-breaks to triumph 7-6, 7-6 in a gruelling clash that lasted two hours and six minutes.
Riske, the world No 51, pushed Pliskova hard throughout and consistently found winners from all across the court.
Pliskova said: "It was tough. We had amazing rallies.
"The second set I think we played some good rallies. So many times I thought she's going to miss, and she made it in the end. Always the ball from her racquet is so low and so flat."
The 2015 Dubai finalist said that Riske had pushed her endurance wise, despite the match only consisting of two sets.
"I was running a lot," she added. "I think she really played well in the last couple games. She didn't give me anything for free, even any returns. I just really had to work for it. I was running from one side to the other."
The Czech feels she is improving as the tournament progresses, having been taken to three sets by Dominika Cibulkova on Tuesday in her second-round match before winning and believes being involved in close games will help her find her top form.
"Maybe the timing is not always the best on my shots," she said. "But I'm slowly getting there. Now I have had two really tough and good matches against tough opponents, which is important."
Pliskova now takes on Hsieh Su-Wei on Thursday in the quarter-finals after the Taiwanese player shocked world No 7 Angelique Kerber 5-7, 6-4, 6-0 in their encounter.
Of her opponent, Pliskova said: “She can play some amazing shots. She has a great feeling, great touch in the hand. It's going to be tough.”
Meanwhile, world No 3 Petra Kvitova was forced to play out a three-set duel for the second successive day as she prevailed 7-5, 1-6, 6-3 against Jennifer Brady.
Having toiled on Tuesday against Czech compatriot Katerina Siniakova she put in an inconsistent display against Brady, losing five games in a row in the second set.
But saving a break point in the opening game of the final set seemed to galvanise the two-time Wimbledon champion as she found her form to go through.
Kvitova said of her form: "I'm happy that I was able to get those two wins, which I think it's great when you don't playing your best and you still find a way to win it, which was yesterday and today as well. I think I'm very happy for that."
Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova is Kvitova's next opponent on Thursday.
The world No 45 saved three match points as she came from a set and a break down to beat American Sofia Kenin 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 on Court 1.
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
More on Palestine-Israeli relations
The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
