Elena Rybakina battles past Frech to make 2024 Dubai Championships' quarter-finals
Rybakina had to battle for 2 hours and 39 minutes to overcome the determined No.53-ranked Magdalena Frech
No.4 seed Elena Rybakina faced a formidable challenge from qualifier Magdalena Frech in the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
Rybakina, who had previously defeated Frech 6-4, 6-3 in their sole encounter at the 2018 Taipei WTA 125 event, found herself trailing 5-3 in the first set. However, she rallied to secure a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4.
Despite their contrasting history, Rybakina had to battle for 2 hours and 39 minutes to overcome the determined No.53-ranked Pole. Frech, fresh from reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open, is set to make her Top 50 debut next week.
Rybakina, the 2020 finalist, advances to her second quarterfinal in Dubai, boasting an impressive overall record of 17-3 in 2024. Having won 10 out of 11 matches in the Middle East this month, including the Abu Dhabi title and reaching the Doha final, she continues her strong performance.
The former Wimbledon champion is set to face the unseeded Jasmine Paolini in the next round. Paolini upset No.8 seed Maria Sakkari with a score of 6-4, 6-2, advancing to her second WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
Meanwhile, No.7 seed Marketa Vondrousova secured her spot in the last eight by defeating No.12 seed Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 6-2 in 75 minutes. Vondrousova capitalized on 40 unforced errors from her opponent, reaching her first quarterfinal since the US Open last year.
Frech posed a significant challenge from the beginning, holding break points in the opening game and securing the first break for a 4-3 lead. Rybakina, despite struggling with consistency in her groundstrokes, managed to steal the first set. Frech responded aggressively, breaking Rybakina in the second game of the second set and finishing with an impressive 12 winners to two unforced errors.
The decider remained tightly contested, with neither player seeing a break point until Rybakina seized an opportunity in her return game. With efficient serving and five aces in the decider, Rybakina closed out the match, converting the second of two match points as Frech sent a backhand long.
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