Kontaveit had beaten Wang Xiyu (China) in the previous round, though she and doubles partner Erin Routliffe (NZ) had crashed out of that category on Wednesday.

Post-match, the world number four said she had: "Played aggressively; I played through the points, and I didn't rush too much. I felt that I found a good balance in the game," said Kontaveit at the post-match press conference.

She also noted satisfaction over the fact that, unlike with overseas tournaments, she does not have to stay in hotels between games.

"I generally like a different rhythm. For me, sitting in a hotel is quite boring, but here I have so many more options. Whether it's planting roses with my father in the morning or whatever... doing activities that stimulate the brain," she said.

"I feel that this brings me extra energy. Certainly, given the crowd, and playing in front of these people, I don't feel so much pressure. This impacts me as a form of positive energy on court. I feel that I am cheerful and in a very good mood all the time," the 26-year-old, from Tallinn, added.

In set one, Kontaveit immediately broke the serve of Martincova, ranked 75th in the world, only to lose her own service. The Estonian then strung together four games in-a-row to take things to 5:1, while at 5:2 she saved two break points, serving to take the set on the second point presented her.

The second set started in a similar vein: Kontaveit broke, then was broken, but then broke the Czech player's service again – as she did in all games Martincova was serving, and, holding her own service thereafter too, she was soon able to wrap up the set 6:1 and with it the match.

The entire encounter at the FORUS Tennis Center in Tondi lasted just over an hour.

Some stats: Kontaveit committed two double faults; Martincova, one. Both pulled off one ace of ftheir service; Kontaveit won 60 of the points played, Martincova, 38.

The Estonian converted seven out out break points she faced; Martincova, two out of four.

Kontaveit next faces Belgian player and world number 138 Ysaline Bonaventure, who pulled off a shock win over Swiss player Jill Teichmann (36th in the world) on Thursday.

Kontaveit and Bonaventure have played once before, back in 2014 and also in Tallinn, when they were playing in an ITF tournament. Kontaveit didn't drop a single game in that encounter.

The winner of the quarter final may face the other Estonian star, veteran player Kaia Kanepi (WTA 32nd).

Kanepi, who defeated US player Ann Li earlier on Thursday, first faces another Czech player, Karolina Muchova.

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