The quarter-finals of the 27th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge were set, with young Japanese player Mei Yamaguchi defeating Canada’s Carol Zhao to secure a spot against top seed Polina Kudermetova. Meanwhile, Tatiana Prozorova ousted fifth seed Elena Pridankina, setting up a clash with qualifier Sofia Costoulas.
The day’s highlight was the match between Jodie Anna Burrage and Dubai regular Viktoria Hruncakova. The British player emerged victorious after a grueling two-hour battle, winning 7-6, 3-6, 6-2. Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas also advanced, securing a hard-fought 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win against Evialina Laskevich.
On Wednesday, popular player Alexandra Eala, the 2022 Junior US Open champion and seeded No.4, booked her place in the quarter-finals against Japan’s Kyoka Okamura. Frenchwoman Amandine Hesse also progressed to the last eight with a straight-set win against Amarni Banks.
Friday’s quarter-finals will commence at 11 am, with Eala facing Okamura and Burrage taking on Hesse on the main courts at Habtoor Grande Resort. Burrage expressed relief at her victory over Hruncakova, noting, “Unlike the day before, I was not in control today. She [Hruncakova] was getting a lot of balls in, which was worrying. But my serves worked well, and I managed to win in the end.”
Burrage, 25, will next face Hesse, the only lucky loser remaining in the main draw. “I need to be patient against Hesse. My confidence is high after today’s win. I love everything about Dubai—the food, the sun, the beach—and I want to continue in this tournament,” she said.
Belgium’s Costoulas also breathed a sigh of relief after making it to the quarter-finals. “I was down in the third set and feeling negative. But I revisited the first set and focused on what I did right. That made a big difference. I realized she was getting more aggressive, but I had the energy to turn things around and win,” Costoulas explained.
The 19-year-old from Genk, who advanced through qualifying rounds and defeated last year’s runner-up Arianne Hartono in the opening round, was confident. “This is the last tournament of the season for me, and I have nothing to prove. I’ll be giving my best,” she promised.
Prozorova, who will face Costoulas next, improved her record against Pridankina to 3-0. “My husband [Alexander] arrived this morning, which has put me in a good frame of mind,” she admitted. “I think it will be a close match against Sofia tomorrow,” she added.
“Today was perfect for tennis with no wind and steady conditions. I hope Friday’s conditions are similar,” Prozorova hoped.
In the final match of the day, Mei Yamaguchi quickly dispatched Canada’s Carol Zhao 6-1, 6-2 in just 76 minutes. “Her slice was strong, so I countered by not letting her settle and dictate the game,” Yamaguchi explained as she prepared to face top seed Kudermetova.
“I need to focus on my game and what I can do on the court. I’ll be out there believing I can overcome this challenge too,” she added.
Results: Jodie Anna Burrage bt Viktoria Hruncakova 7-6, 3-6, 6-2; Sofia Costoulas bt Evialina Laskevich 6-3, 1-6, 6-3; Tatiana Prozorova bt Elena Pridankina 7-5, 6-3; Mei Yamaguchi bt Carol Zhao 6-1, 6-2.
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