Qatar Open: Jabeur overcomes Martincova; Gauff, Ostapenko also advance to QFs
Feb 23, 2022
Doha [Qatar], February 23 : The number 8 seed Ons Jabeur reached her second Qatar Open quarterfinal after coming from a break down in the third set to beat Tereza Martincova.
Jabeur overcame Martincova 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the one hour and 36 minutes match that has put the Tunisian into the Doha quarterfinals for a second time.
In 2020, she reached the last eight of a WTA 1000 event for the first time here - and like that year, her symbiotic relationship with the Middle East crowd was on full show. Jabeur's shotmaking repertoire had Centre Court in raptures, and her victory was greeted with extended chants and songs in celebration.
Earlier, the No.14 seed Coco Gauff reached the quarterfinals with her fifth career Top 10 win, a 6-2, 6-3 upset of No.3 seed Paula Badosa in 1 hour and 17 minutes.
The result was a reversal of the pair's only previous encounter, won by Badosa 6-2, 6-2 in the third round of Indian Wells last year en route to her second career title. Gauff's revenge puts the 17-year-old into her fifth quarterfinal at WTA 1000 level or above, following Dubai, Rome, Roland Garros and Montreal last year.
The No.15 seed Jelena Ostapenko also dealt out some revenge in the desert, dispatching No.2 seed Barbora Krejcikova 6-3, 6-2 in 1 hour and 13 minutes.
Ostapenko, the champion in Dubai last week, equalled her career-best winning streak of eight with the victory and scored a fifth win over a Grand Slam champion in the past two weeks.
At the Australian Open one month ago, the Latvian had led Krejcikova 6-2, 3-1 in the third round before succumbing in three sets.
