The Tashkent Open continued to provide upsets on Thursday as the final three seeds left in the tournament lost in quarter-final action.

Vera Lapko, Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and Dalila Jakupovic were all on the wrong end of shock results in Uzbekistan, paving the way for a potential first-time winner on the WTA Tour.

Anastasia Potapova moved a step closer to a maiden title after prevailing in a three-set contest against Jakupovic.

The world number 132 recorded two breaks to breeze through the decider, serving out the match to love to complete a 7-5 2-6 6-1 triumph.

Kateryna Kozlova is another chasing her first tournament win, and the Ukrainian boosted her chances with a 6-3 6-2 triumph over sixth seed Schmiedlova, conqueror of 2015 champion Nao Hibino on Wednesday.

Mona Barthel - who has won four events in her career, the last of them in Prague last year - continued her progress by knocking out second seed Lapko in straight sets.

Having seen off the seventh-seeded Evgeniya Rodina in the previous round, Barthel won 6-3 7-5 against the world number 64.

The German will next face Margarita Gasparyan, who rallied from a set down to defeat Fanny Stollar 3-6 6-2 6-1 in the final match of the day.