WTA Spherical-up | Final 8 line-ups accomplished in Hong Kong, Jiangxi and Mérida

The enterprise finish is quick approaching within the WTA 250 occasions in Hong Kong, Jiangxi and Mérida as gamers line-up within the quarter-finals…

It will imply so much to complete on a private excessive notice right here, though I’ve the Billie Jean King Cup Finals to come back. This all motivates not solely myself and the group for the pre-season and past into subsequent yr. Leylah Fernandez

Hong Kong | WTA 250 Prudential Hong Kong Open

Defending champion Leylah Fernandez stored her hopes alive with a straightforward win over Kimberly Birrell, dropping simply 3 video games, whereas former Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin additionally remained in title competition after edging previous Jessika Ponchet on Thursday to finish the Final 8 line-up in Hong Kong.

Fernandez, the No 3 seed from Canada, wanted simply 80 minutes to see off Australia’s Birrell, 6-1 6-2, organising a contest with American Bernarda Pera.

Having dispatched Britain’s Heather Watson in straight units in her opener, Fernandez was desperate to extend her title defence towards the in-form Birrell on Thursday, the Aussie having soared right into a maiden WTA remaining earlier this month in Osaka, Japan.

“Will probably be an excellent powerful match. She’s been having a superb summer time and fall, she’s coming in with a whole lot of confidence and momentum,” stated Fernandez. “I simply hope that I get to play some good tennis to placed on a present for these followers.

“It will imply so much to complete on a private excessive notice right here, though I’ve the Billie Jean King Cup Finals to come back. This all motivates not solely myself and the group for the pre-season and past into subsequent yr.”

Kenin can be having a productive Asian swing, which was punctuated by a runner-up spot in Tokyo simply previous to jetting to Hong Kong.

On Thursday, the American overcame a take a look at from France’s Ponchet, 7-5 6-4, to succeed in the Hong Kong quarter-finals.

“I set totally different targets for various elements of the season,” stated the World No 88 after her 1st-round win. “Coming into Asia was positively High 100, and I didn’t actually consider that I may. It felt not possible to choose up 400 factors.

“This season hasn’t been very best, I’m blissful I’m ending it sturdy, and attempting to maintain the momentum going for now, then I’ll take pleasure in a while off.

“Hopefully subsequent season, let’s say High 50. Hopefully then I might be seeded at Slams, earlier within the yr could be nice. Possibly I’ll have a bit extra luck on my aspect.”

Opening the Centre Courtroom motion on Thursday, Dutchwoman Suzan Lamens got here from a set all the way down to upset Cristina Bucsa, the No 8 seed from Spain, 5-7 6-4 6-3, and can line up subsequent towards top-seeded Diana Shnaider from Russia in her third tour-level quarter-final look of 2024.

All the way in which from qualifying, Lamens went on to edge Birrell within the Osaka silverware showdown to carry her first WTA title.

Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova additionally brought on an upset by beating Varvara Gracheva, the No 7 seed of France, 6-3 6-1, and can meet Britain’s Katie Boulter, the 2nd seed, within the quarters on Friday.

It’s the 22-year outdated’s first tour-level quarter-final of her profession, and her twelfth straight match win following title runs on the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin ITF W50 and Les Franqueses del Valles ITF W100.

© Lintao Zhang/Getty Photographs

Jiangxi | WTA 250 Jiangxi Open

In China on Thursday, Rebecca Sramkova, the No 2 seed from Russia, got here from a break down within the first set to defeat native favorite Wei Sijia, 7-5 6-3, to advance to her 4th tour-level quarter-final of 2024.

Sramkova had misplaced to Wei in straight units one week earlier than within the Guangzhou 1st-round.

Sixth-seeded Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus reached her fifth tour-level quarter-final this season with a 6-4 7-6(4) win over Czech Linda Fruhvirtova.

Rus, who led 5-2 within the second set however wanted 6 match factors to seal her second win over Fruhvirtova in 3 conferences, subsequent meets Viktorija Golubic for a spot within the Final 4, after the Swiss superior when her opponent, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, the 4th-seeded Spaniard, retired with the rating standing at 6-2 in favour of Golubic.

Italy’s Martina Trevisan was the final to make it into the quarters when she upset No 9 seed Anna Bondar from Hungary, 7-6(4) 6-2, to succeed in her 2nd tour-level Final 8 look of 2024.

Sara Sorribes Tormo gained a 2-day affair within the 1st-round of the Mérida Open Akron, beating Mexican wild-card Ana Sofia Sanchez on Wednesday

© Shi Tang/Getty Photographs

Mérida | WTA 250 Mérida Open Akron

Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo gained a 2-day affair within the 1st-round of the Mérida Open Akron, beating Mexican wild-card Ana Sofia Sanchez, 6-2 6-1, in a match postponed in a single day as a consequence of rain at 1-0 within the second set, reeling off 6 straight video games upon resumption.

One other Mexican, top-seeded Renata Zarazua kicked off her marketing campaign with a 7-5 6-2 1st-round win over 17-year-old wild-card Akasha Urhobo of america.

Rising teenager Urhobo acquitted herself effectively in her WTA main-draw debut, however Zarazua prevailed in 1 hour and 39 minutes on residence soil.

No 2 seed Nadia Podoroska didn’t fare so effectively, shocked by Russia’s Polina Kudermetova who notched up a 63-minute upset in her opener on Wednesday, toppling her 6-1 6-1.

In the meantime, in a showdown between one other two rising youngsters, Canadian 19-year-old Marina Stakusic edged previous Australian 18-year-old Maya Joint, 2-6 7-6(2) 7-6(2), after a 2 hour and 40 minute battle.

Joint, the World No 110, got here again from 2-5 down within the decider earlier than 116th-ranked Stakusic transformed her Sixth match level within the tiebreak.

Stakusic is on an 8-match successful streak, having gained the WTA 125 title final week in Tampico as a qualifier.

American Ann Li eased into her 2nd tour-level quarter-final of the yr with a 6-2 6-2 win over Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic in 70 minutes, the place she is going to meet Swiss Jil Teichmann on Friday.