GARBINE Muguruza and Elise Mertens have found a way to win in their respective quarter finals at the 2021 WTA Tour’s Dubai 1000 event after going down a set before grinding out a three-set victory. Both seeds were up against red-hot in-form players in Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula respectively, but despite losing the opening set, maintained a steady approach and got the job done to join Jil Teichmann and Barbora Krejcikova in the semi-finals.

Muguruza won 3-6 6-3 6-2 against third seed Sabalenka in one hour and 51 minutes. The Spaniard won 79.5 per cent of her first serve points and put down seven aces to surprisingly have a much higher ratio than the powerful Sabalenka who finished with 70 per cent and five aces. The Belarusian also served an additional double fault (5-4), and was broken five times to three throughout the course of the match.

The 10th seed Belgian in Mertens had a struggle on her hands in the opening couple of sets, dropping the first set 7-5 then returning the favour with the second set success at 7-5. It was all one-way traffic in the third, as the Belgian went from 5-5 in the second set to win eight consecutive games and storm to a 5-7 7-5 6-0 victory. Serving consistency was not a highlight in the match as Mertens produced 10 double faults for three aces, while Pegula did not have an ace and recorded seven double faults. Mertens was more consistent upon return though, breaking seven times to four, with the last three coming in the final set, and winning 39.2 per cent of her first serve return points compared to Pegula’s 29.7 per cent.

While the two seeds will face off in the semi-final, the other semi-final will feature two unseeded talents and players unfamiliar with this stage of a WTA Tour 1000 event. Neither Teichmann nor Krejcikova had reached a 1000 quarter final before, and neither had their opponents, wildcards Coco Gauff and Anastasia Potapova. Despite the experience in the other half of the draw, the winners were always going to be in uncharted territory.

Teichmann took care of the highly talented Gauff, ending the soon-to-be 17-year-old’s run before she could reach the final on her birthday. The Swiss up-and-comer is building some nice consistency of late, and won 6-3 6-3 in an hour and 22 minutes. Her semi-finals appearance follows on from her quarter final at the Phillip Island Trophy, and semi-final at the Adelaide International, but critically turned the tables on Gauff who bundled her out in the first round of the Australian Open in straight sets.

Gauff was her usual self with some brilliance but inconsistency, serving at just 48.1 per cent, but also producing five aces and winning 80 per cent of her first serve points. Teichmann on the other hand was able to control the tempo with a 71.8 and 66.7 per cent success rate off her first and second serve points, also saving all break point opportunities for her American opponent, whilst capitalising on three of five when she had her chances.

Meanwhile Krejcikova is yet to win a title with a career-high ranking of 59 to soon be changed post-tournament, and the 25-year-old did it with a dominant 6-0 6-2 win over Potapova. The match lasted just 62 minutes as the Czech dominated from start to finish, being the more consistent of the two and only dropping the 16 points on serve, and only three points off her first serve. Potapova had four aces, but also seven double faults, and was broken six times as she struggled to win off her serve, finishing with a 46.4 and 29.2 per cent success rate off her first and second serve points, and only holding serve once in the match.

The seeded semi-final between Muguruza and Mertens is up first today, with Teichmann locking horns with Krejcikova in the match following that contest.

DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:

[9] Garbine Muguruza (ESP) defeated [3] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3-6 6-3 6-2
[10] Elise Mertens (USA) defeated Jessica Pegula (USA) 5-7 7-5 6-0
Jil Teichmann (SUI) defeated [WC] Coco Gauff (USA) 6-3 6-3
Barbora Krejcikova (CZE) defeated [WC] Anastasia Potapova (RUS) 6-0 6-2

Picture credit: Getty Images