IF there was any doubt that Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur has improved in 2020, then those doubts were erased on the third day of main draw action at Dubai. The world number 45 continues to build having already beaten five top 50 players in 2020. World number two, Simona Halep almost became the sixth in their Round of 16 clash, but the experienced Grand Slam winner fought back from a third set tiebreak match point against to win 9-7 in the tiebreaker and book a spot in the quarter finals.

The match was Halep’s first since her semi-final defeat at the hands of Garbine Muguruza in Melbourne, and she looked rusty early, conceding the first set 6-1 to Jabeur who had two days earlier, toppled top 20 player Alison Riske. Halep got back on top in the second set with an imposing performance, but Jabeur refused to give in, with both players going toe-for-toe across an epic third set that ultimately resulted in the deciding tiebreak. The match lasted two hours and both players were evenly match, as Halep broke three times and Jabeur four, while the Romanian number one seed won three more points than her opponent. Marginally better across the key areas, Halep showed why she is tournament favourite and earned a spot in the last eight to face Belarusian, Aryna Sabalenka.

The seventh seed had no troubles against Belgian, Elise Mertens during a 6-4 6-3 win, while American Jennifer Brady continued her good form in 2020 with a win over Czech, Marketa Vondrousova in three sets. The results set up a potential semi-final rematch between Halep and Muguruza after the Australian Open runner-up made it through to face Brady thanks to a tight 7-5 4-6 6-4 win over Russian, Veronika Kudermetova. Down the other end of the draw, second seed Karolina Pliskova doubled up on her wins against Kristina Mladenovic this year, having also beaten the Frenchwoman at Melbourne Park, but the 6-1 6-2 win on this occasion was much smoother. She now takes on Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in the other blockbuster quarter final, following Rybakina’s 6-3 6-3 triumph over 23-year-old Czech, Katerina Siniakova. Meanwhile Petra Martic knocked off Barbora Strycova 6-3 6-3 to now face in-form Anett Kontaveit who defeated fellow red-hot player Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 7-6 7-5.

ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[1] S. Halep (ROU) defeated O. Jabeur (TUN) 1-6 6-2 7-6
[2] K. Pliskova (CZE) defeated K. Mladenovic (FRA) 6-1 5-2
[7] A. Sabalenka (BLR) defeated E. Mertens (BEL) 6-4 6-3
[8] P. Martic (CRO) defeated B. Strycova (CZE) 6-3 6-3
[9] G. Muguruzq (ESP) defeated V. Kudermetova (CZE) 7-5 4-6 6-4
E. Rybakina (KAZ) defeated K. Siniakova (CZE) 6-3 6-3
J. Brady (USA) defeated M. Vondrousova (CZE) 4-6 6-4 6-1
A. Kontaveit (EST) defeated A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) 7-6 7-5