SEOUL, South Korea – Big-hitting Italian Camila Giorgi recovered from a set down to dismiss Mona Barthel in a battle of two former Top 30 players, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Korea Open.

Barthel began the year ranked at World No.45, but a virus kept her off court between the Australian and French Open; the German had won just two matches since Wimbledon heading into her match against Giorgi. Still, she reminded fans why she’s been ranked as high as No.23 in the world with a stunning opening set, winning 10 of 13 points off the Italian’s second serve and saving all three break points faced.

Giorgi has also seen her ranking slip from the start of the season, but took the experience from beating Barthel less than a month ago at the Connecticut Open and overcame a few frustrating moments to turn the tables on the 26-year-old, wrapping up the topsy-turvy tussle in just under 100 minutes.

The win puts the 24-year-old into her fifth WTA quarterfinal of the 2016 season – all at International level events – and will be looking to reach her second semifinal of the year, her first since finishing runner-up at the Katowice Open.

Up next for the former World No.30 is No.3 seed and Australian Open quarterfinalist Zhang Shuai, who edged past mixed doubles Olympic Gold medalist and US Open women’s doubles champ Bethanie Mattek-Sands, 6-3, 7-5.

New Haven semifinalist and No.2 seed Johanna Larsson followed up Giorgi’s heroics with a three-set thriller of her own, knocking out rising Ukrainian Kateryna Kozlova, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.