Simona Halep downs Jabeur to enter quarters

Dubai: Former world No. 1 and top seed Simona Halep dug her way out of the pit with a 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 win over Arab region’s best player Ons Jabeur as the quarter-final line-up of the Dubai Duty Free Women’s Open was nearly finalised late on Wednesday.

Coached by Dubai-based Tunisian Davis Cup player Issam Jallali, the 25-year-old Jabeur was ruthless against her more fancied opponent, currently ranked No. 2 as she came out firing all cylinders. Egged on by a near-full Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, the lone former champion from the three who entered this week, just stuck to a game plan and hung in there before escaping with a memorable win on centre court.

“I think I was a little bit lucky there,” Halep told fans later. “It was a tough match and I know she is a really tough player. I had to give everything I had and I am proud that I was able to fight till the end,” the Romanian added.

“In the end I don’t know how I could finish that in a right way. But it was up-and-down a lot because she doesn’t give rhythm. It was very weird, but happy I could win. The atmosphere was like a football match or a Fed Cup match. I didn’t really realise what is going on on-court. Everyone was with a lot of energy so we had to give our best. I think it was a great match.”

Halep’s opponent in quarter-finals will be seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka after the Belarussian got past Belgium’s Elise Mertens 6-4, 6-3.

Earlier in the day, Karolina Pliskova and Garbine Muguruza stemmed the rot after Tuesday’s carnage of seeds even as Elena Rybakina continued to roll into the singles quarter-finals.

Making her seventh main draw appearance during which her best was a runners-up spot when she lost to Simona Halep in 2015, Pliskova brushed aside qualifier Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 6-2 in a little over one hour.

Australian Open losing finalist Muguruza, who had survived a battling former world number one Kim Clijsters on the opening night, had to dig in even deeper for a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 win over Dubai main draw debutant Veronika Kudermetova in nearly two-and-a-half hours.

Losing finalist at last weekend’s St Petersburg Open, the 20-year-old Rybakina — who famously packed off Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin on Tuesday — continued her fine form with a smooth 6-3, 6-3 win over Czech qualifier Katerina Siniakova. Agencies

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