Ashleigh Barty has rallied from a set down to edge past Estonian Anett Kontaveit and book her place in the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open.

The top-seeded Australian clinched a battling victory with a deep forehand winner and raised her right fist in triumph after fighting off match point and outlasting Kontaveit in two hours and 10 minutes.

French Open champion Barty, currently ranked second, can reclaim the world top spot by reaching the tournament final in the US Open warm-up event in Ohio.

Into the last eight in Cincinnati for the first time, Barty – who fought past Maria Sharapova in her opener – will play the winner of the match between ninth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sakkari.

Venus Williams is due to play Donna Vekic while Sloane Stephens faces face Svetlana Kuznetsova in the tournament’s other afternoon matches.