Iga Swiatek called for an end to online hate and criticism after the world No.1 received angry messages following her 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over China’s Zheng Qinwen at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.

Swiatek beat Zheng to set up a quarter final with Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova. “Today’s match wasn’t perfect... But the amount of hate and criticism my team and I got after losing a set is ridiculous,” Swiatek said.

“We all sacrifice a lot. We’re all working really hard to be in that place. We’re always giving 100 per cent of what we can do every day.

“It’s sad for me to see that people I work with and myself, we’re really judged.”

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka sailed into the last eight with a tidy 6-3, 6-3 win over Russia’s Daria Kasatkina but it was the end of the line for world No.3 Jessica Pegula and No.4 Elena Rybakina.

Pegula lost 4-6, 0-6 in a rain-disrupted contest to Czech Marie Bouzkova.

Rybakina had looked poised for smooth passage, taking the opening set against Italian qualifier Jasmine Paolini 6-4, but retired trailing 2-5 in the second with an unspecified injury.

In a battle between teenagers, Coco Gauff claimed a 6-4, 6-0 win over Linda Noskova.

Alcaraz, Novak advance

World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz fended off in-form American Tommy Paul 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (0-7), 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals, but other top seeds Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas were sent packing.

It was a routine victory for Novak Djokovic on Centre Court, who beat Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour.

Alexander Zverev upset third seed Medvedev 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Poland’s unseeded Hubert Hurkacz unleashed 11 aces and 27 winners to cruise past Tsitsipas 6-3, 6-4.