MATCH POINTS
Since the Tour resumption, former World No.30 Aliaksandra Sasnovich has compiled a 10-3 win-loss record. This includes wins over Elise Mertens and Marketa Vondrousova, as well as three Houdini acts in the past fortnight: saving one match point against Francesca Di Lorenzo in the first round of the US Open, two against Zarina Diyas in the first round this week and coming back from a set and a break down against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova in the second round. Sasnovich also moved past Tereza Martincova in Palermo qualifying after the Czech retired trailing by a set due to a left ankle injury - but Martincova was the victor in their only completed match, 6-3, 6-1 in 2017 Prague qualifying.
Martincova, who came within a few points of upsetting Maria Sakkari in Doha this February before falling 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-0 and who scored her second victory over Caroline Garcia this week, is looking to reach her third WTA semifinal following Québec City 2016 and Gstaad 2017.
No.2 seed Rebecca Peterson, who won her first two WTA titles in Nanchang and Tianjin last autumn, faces Patricia Maria Tig for the second time today, following her 7-6(6), 6-3 defeat of the Romanian in the second round of the 2016 Osprey ITF $50k event. Tig is bidding for her second semifinal of 2020, having made the last four in Hua Hin in February.
Head to Head
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Two players in the quarterfinal lineup have previously reached a WTA final in Istanbul: No.3 seed Polona Hercog was defeated by Pauline Parmentier in the 2018 Istanbul Cup final and Danka Kovinic was runner-up to Cagla Buyukakcay in 2016. Both were defeated in their only previous meetings with their opponents today.
Hercog fell 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2 to Paula Badosa in the second round of Rabat 2018 - a result that sealed the Spaniard's maiden WTA quarterfinal run. Badosa is bidding for her second WTA semifinal today, having made her debut at that stage in Palermo last year.
Kovinic, who became the first ever Montenegrin to compete in a WTA main draw when she made her debut at Budapest 2013, is seeking to return to a WTA semifinal for the first time since Tianjin 2016. The former World No.46 previously lost to Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 7-5 in the first round of Mallorca 2016.
Former World No.5 Bouchard's upset of No.1 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova yesterday was the Canadian's first Top 30 win since beating Carla Suárez Navarro in the second round of Luxembourg 2018 - which was also the last time she reached the semifinals of a tournament.
ORDER OF PLAY (all courts start 1pm)
CENTER COURT
[Q] Eugenie BOUCHARD (CAN) vs Danka KOVINIC (MNE)
[3] Polona HERCOG (SLO) vs Paula BADOSA (ESP)
Not before 7pm
Aliaksandra SASNOVICH (BLR) vs [Q] Tereza MARTINCOVA (CZE)
Patricia Maria TIG (ROU) vs [2] Rebecca PETERSON (SWE
COURT 1
Naomi BROADY (GBR) / Erin ROUTLIFFE (NZL) vs [2] Ellen PEREZ (AUS) / Storm SANDERS (AUS)
[3] Kaitlyn CHRISTIAN (USA) / Giuliana OLMOS (MEX) vs Greet MINNEN (BEL) / Alison VAN UYTVANCK (BEL)
