Defending champion Andreeva reaches quarters as Gauff survives Mertens scare at Dubai Open

Defending champion and fifth seed Mirra Andreeva produced an assertive performance to defeat Jaqueline Cristian while Coco Gauff survived Elise Mertens scare to reach the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday.

Mertens, the World No. 22 from Belgium, stormed through the opening set with surprising authority, 6-2, over third seed Gauff.

Gauff gradually found her rhythm in the second set, carving out two breaks and edging close to levelling the match - only to falter once more while serving for the set. Mertens even looked poised to close it out at 6-5, but Gauff’s resilience refused to yield, forcing a tense tie-break.

In a dramatic twist, Gauff saved three match points, holding her nerve under immense pressure to win the breaker 11-9 and revive a match that had teetered on the edge of defeat.

The deciding set became a true test of wills. Gauff secured a pivotal break at 4-3 and immediately consolidated, using her athleticism and grit to carry her through. After 2 hours and 18 minutes of fluctuating fortunes, she completed a hard-fought comeback,

Andreeva needed one hour and more than 40 minutes to beat Cristian 7-5, 6-3. The match started with both players trading solid holds, but Andreeva began to edge ahead at pivotal moments, using sharp returns to claim the tight first set 7-5.

In the second set, Andreeva maintained her intensity, converting key break points and keeping Cristian under pressure with consistent serving and depth from the back of the court. Her ability to stay focused on crucial points allowed her to close out the second set 6-3.

“Honestly, my level wasn’t where I wanted it to be today,” Andreeva admitted in her on-court interview. “I’m just grateful I managed to finish the match on the winning side. The conditions were challenging, and I found it difficult to adjust out there.”

The World No. 7 from Russia will meet second seed Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals.

Anisimova, ranked World No. 6, needed just 70 minutes to dispatch Indonesian wildcard Janice Tjen 6-1, 6-3. It marked the American’s first match of the week after she advanced through the early rounds without stepping on court - receiving a bye in the Round of 64 and a walkover in the Round of 32 when Barbora Krejcíkova withdrew due to injury.

Lucky loser Antonia Ruzic advanced to her first-ever WTA 1000 quarter-final after top seed and World No. 3 Elena Rybakina was forced to retire early in the third set of their gripping third-round encounter.

The World No. 65 Ruzic opened the match with fearless hitting, racing ahead in the first set before the reigning Australian Open champion steadied herself and surged back to take it 7-5. The Croatian refused to fade. She struck first again in the second set and later with aggressive baseline play managed to level the match 6-4.

When Ruzic broke in the opening game of the deciding set, the momentum felt as though it might tilt fully her way - but moments later, the Kazakh star called for the trainer and retired due to gastrointestinal issues.

In a gripping clash between former Dubai champions, Elina Svitolina - the back-to-back title winner in 2017 and 2018 - battled from a set down to defeat ninth seed Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Bencic, a 2019 winner, opened the contest with precision and intent, securing an early break that gave her immediate control and helped her capture the first set. But the momentum swung sharply in the second. As the rallies grew longer and the pressure mounted, Svitolina tightened her baseline game, capitalising on a rising wave of Swiss errors. With her trademark court coverage and disciplined shot selection, she swept through the set 6-1.

The deciding set delivered the drama expected from two former champions. Bencic attempted to wrestle back command, unleashing several fierce, well-timed forehands, yet Svitolina’s resilience and relentless consistency held firm. A pivotal break midway through the final set tipped the balance decisively, and Svitolina maintained her composure to close out the match 6-3, sealing a hard-fought victory. Last year’s runner-up and 12th seed Clara Tauson continued her confident march with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Magda Linette.

Amir Naqvi, Sports Editor