Ons Jabeur through to Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open quarterfinal against Elena Rybakina

ABU DHABI: Ons Jabeur has reached the last eight of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open with a straight-sets victory over 17-year-old Wakana Sonobe, and on Thursday takes on reigning champion, Elena Rybakina, who came from behind to beat Katie Volynets.

In arguably the performance of the day, the US’ Ashlyn Krueger produced a stunning fightback to beat last year’s runner-up Daria Kasatkina, while Belinda Bencic, Marketa Vondrousova, Leylah Fernandez, Linda Noskova and Magda Linette are also through to the last eight.

Fan-favorite Jabeur had booked her passage to the last 16 with a superb display against Jelena Ostapenko. But she faced a different type of challenge against rising star Sonobe, who had recorded two qualifying wins before defeating Yue Yan in the round of 32. This was just over one week after claiming the girls’ singles title at the Australian Open.

While both players began the match in confident fashion, with Sonobe holding her own for the early part of the first set, her lack of experience against top players soon became apparent as she lost her last three service games in the first set to fall 1-0 down.

While Sonobe broke Jabeur immediately in the second set, the Tunisian former world No. 2 regained her composure and began to dictate play, breaking the Japanese youngster twice on her way to a 6-3, 6-3 victory. She now plays Rybakina in a repeat of the 2022 Wimbledon final.

Looking ahead, Jabeur said: “It’s going to be a tough match. Elena plays really well, and I know she loves playing here on this surface. I will just try to do my best, and focus on myself, and what I can do better on the court.”

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina came from behind to beat Volynets in her first appearance of this year’s tournament. It was a slow start from Rybakina, who dropped the first game of the match on serve, allowing American Volynets to take the first set 6-2.

Rybakina, however, is the current champion for a reason, and her response was both predictable and emphatic, as she bounced back to win the second set 6-4, before taking the third by the same scoreline, getting her defense of the crown off to the perfect start.

While Rybakina is defending the title she won a year ago, the 2023 champion, Bencic, was also in action on Wednesday, with the Swiss star producing the most dominant performance of the day as she swept aside Kudermetova 6-0, 6-0 in just 64 minutes.

Bencic will now face 2023 Wimbledon champion, Vondrousova, who followed up her win over Emma Raducanu with another solid display, this time against Yulia Putintseva, running out a 6-2, 6-3 winner on Stadium Court.

Fernandez, although not quite as dominant as Bencic, booked her place in the quarterfinals courtesy of a comfortable victory over Lulu Sun, who provided minimal resistance, particularly in the first set which the Canadian claimed without losing a game.

Sun improved in the second set, but Fernandez, who was beaten by Coco Gauff at the recent Australian Open, simply produced a series of eye-catching shots for an impressive 6-0, 6-3 victory. She now faces Krueger in the last eight.

Krueger had made a brilliant comeback against Kasatkina. Having won just a solitary game in a one-sided first set, Krueger, 20, recomposed herself and responded in style, eventually securing an outstanding 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory.

In the day’s final two matches, Czech star Noskova, 20, produced a stunning performance to upset Paula Badosa, beating the Spaniard 6-4, 6-1. This sets up a last-eight meeting with Linette, who was awarded a victory via walkover in her tie against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova after she was forced to withdraw.

Stadium Court plays host to all four quarterfinals on Thursday, with Jabeur versus Rybakina undoubtedly the pick of the ties. The pair have met five times in their careers to date, with Jabeur winning three to Rybakina’s two, although one of those victories was the Wimbledon final in 2022.

Vondrousova and Bencic have been in fine form during the tournament so far, meaning their meeting is likely to be an intriguing one, while Fernandez versus Krueger is an opportunity to watch two of tennis’ young talents battle it out for a place in the semifinals.