ACTION heated up in the quarter finals of the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 event with each of the four matches going the full three sets to determine a winner. In three of those four matches, the winner dropped the first set before coming back to win, including one 6-0 first set loss.

That disastrous first set belonged to Marta Kostyuk, with the 18-year-old Ukrainian winning just nine points in a horrible start to the match, but found a way to turn it around against Spaniard Sara Sorribes Tormo. The next set was almost a complete reversal of fortunes as Kostyuk won it 6-1, before a tighter third set resulted in the Ukrainian getting it done, 0-6 6-1 6-4 to advance through to the semi-finals.

“I started to move my legs better, I started to look at the ball better, and I think the whole picture changed,” Kostyuk said post-match of the first set disaster. “I stopped missing, and obviously I know that if I’m in the right spot, if I’m at the ball, it’s really tough to get, especially when I’m hitting close to the line.”

Kostyuk now takes on Russian Veronika Kudermetova who shocked the Ukrainian’s compatriot and second seed, Elina Svitolina. Kudermetova won 5-7 6-3 7-6 in a hard-fought two-hour and 35-minute epic contest. Both players were up for the fight, but the talented Russian stood tall when it counted with a crucial break in the second set, and then winning the third set tiebreaker, 7-3.

“It was a really tough match,” Kudermetova said post-match. “I think we both played very good. I tried to stay focused until the end. In the first set, I also played not bad, but I didn’t have a lot of chances, Elina played unbelievable. She had good serves today. I tried to fight, I tried to stay focused, and do everything for the win.”

Whilst the matches had their ups and downs, none were stranger than Maria Sakkari‘s victory over top seed Sofia Kenin. The Greek ninth seed was outclassed by the Australian Open winner 6-2 in the first set, and at one point, the score was 6-2 2-2 in Kenin’s favour. From there, somehow Sakkari piled on 10 straight games in a complete blitz to win 2-6 6-2 6-0 and power her way into the semi-finals.

“Beating these players this week it means a lot,” Sakkari said post-match. “I’m playing players that I’ve never played, like [Muguruza] yesterday, so I have a better idea if I play them again. “So in general it gives me a lot of confidence starting the year like that and I’m super happy to travel to Australia with some good matches with me.”

Sakkari will need to take that momentum and roll with it in the final four, coming up against the most in-form player on Tour. Fourth seed Aryna Sabalenka dropped her first set in 11 matches, but continued her winning streak by bringing up her 13th consecutive win. The Belarusian powerhouse defeated Elena Rybakina 6-4 4-6 6-3 in just under two hours to advance through to the semi-finals.

“I’m really happy that already at the beginning of the season I’ve played against different styles,” Sabalenka said post-match. “That’s really good and I’m really happy. It’s giving me a lot of advantage. It’s perfect to start the season like that after the pre-season. “I will prepare myself, doesn’t matter who I’m playing against. “My coach is preparing me really well and I know I will be ready for each player.”

ABU DHABI QUARTER FINALS RESULTS:

[9] Maria Sakkari (GRE) defeated [1] Sofia Kenin (USA) 2-6 6-2 6-0
Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated [2] Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5-7 6-3 7-6
[4] Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) defeated [6] Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 6-4 4-6 6-3
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated Sara Sorribes Tormo (ESP) 0-6 6-1 6-4