Leylah Fernandez scored her second win in as many meetings with Zheng Qinwen to reach the Qatar TotalEnergies Open quarterfinals, upsetting the No.5 seed 7-5, 6-3 in 1 hour and 32 minutes.
Fernandez had previously defeated Zheng 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(3) in the second round of Monterrey 2022, going on to win her second of three Hologic WTA Tour titles to date. This time round, she came from 5-3 down in the first set to win the matchup between the two 21-year-old Grand Slam finalists.
The result was Fernandez's sixth career Top 10 win and second in the past four months following her defeat of Marketa Vondrousova in last November's Billie Jean King Cup semifinals. All five of the Canadian's previous Top 10 wins had taken place either in Billie Jean King Cup action or at the 2021 US Open, where she was runner-up to Emma Raducanu.
Fernandez, who was ranked as low as No.95 in July but is up at No.38 this week, continues a resurgence over the past few months that also saw her pick up a third career title in Hong Kong last October. She advances to her fourth quarterfinal at WTA 1000 level or above, following the 2021 US Open, 2022 Roland Garros and 2023 Guadalajara.
Fernandez will next face No.3 seed Elena Rybakina, who defeated No.16 seed Emma Navarro 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-4, in a first-time encounter.
L E Y L A H 💥@leylahfernandez punches her 🎟️ into the quarterfinals after defeating Zheng 7-5, 6-3. #QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/t4YzW2t0DU
— wta (@WTA) February 14, 2024
Turning point: Through most of the first set, Zheng's superior weight of shot gave the Australian Open finalist the upper hand. Fernandez's net-rushing strategy was not paying dividends in the face of Zheng's heavy forehand, and the Chinese player broke Fernandez from 40-0 down to lead 4-3.
Zheng was unable to serve out the set after Fernandez got lucky with a dead net cord return on break point. But it was the following game that saw Fernandez take control. Zheng started it with her best shot of the match, a crosscourt backhand pass. But Fernandez responded with four consecutive winners -- a drop volley, down-the-line shots off both wings and a drop shot -- to take the lead for the first time.
Zheng, who tallied 29 unforced errors to 18 winners, conceded her serve again in the following game, and Fernandez was in control throughout the second set. She found 18 winners to 15 unforced errors, and repeatedly outfoxed Zheng with neat drop shots.
Next stop ➡️ Quarterfinals 👏
— wta (@WTA) February 14, 2024
Danielle Collins secures her spot in the final eight, after defeating Siniakova 6-4, 6-3. #QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/KSQiUwxBAp
Pavlyuchenkova, Collins set quarterfinal match
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Danielle Collins set an all-unseeded quarterfinal at the bottom of the draw with defeats of higher-ranked opponents on Wednesday. Pavlyuchenkova upset No.6 seed Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 6-3 to notch her first Top 10 win since beating Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros 2021 (and 37th Top 10 win overall).
Highlights: Pavlyuchenkova d. Vondrousova | Collins d. Siniakova
No.32-ranked Pavlyuchenkova had lost both of her previous meetings with Vondrousova in straight sets, both in 2021. But after falling behind 3-1 in the first set, the 32-year-old found her groove with her powerful game, thumping groundstrokes from side to side as the Wimbledon champion lapsed into passivity.
Collins improved to 2-1 overall against Katerina Siniakova with a 6-4, 6-3 victory, and advances to her first quarterfinal in Doha. The 63rd-ranked American qualifier holds a 3-0 record against Pavlyuchenkova.
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