The path may be cleared for Irina-Camelia Begu to rack up a season-best showing at the Korea Open after Thursday's second-round win over Polona Hercog.

The top seed in Seoul, Begu had to earn a quarter-final place the hard way, seeing off Polona Hercog 6-2 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 to set up a meeting in the next round with Johanna Larsson.

Having progressed beyond the quarter-finals of any tournament just once this year – at February's Rio Open – Begu saw her path to the final cleared somewhat by fourth seed, and potential final-four opponent, Varvara Lepchenko's straight-sets elimination at the hands of Elizaveta Kulichkova.

American Lepchenko came into the tournament on the back of a career-best run to the fourth round of the US Open, but she was sent packing by the Russian 19-year-old 6-0 6-2.

Third seed Sloane Stephens eased through to the next round courtesy of a 6-3 6-4 win over Kimiko Date-Krumm, while Belarusian qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich continues to make inroads on the tournament proper after beating Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3 6-3.