Arab icon Jabeur to face Rybakina in Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open quarters

Ons Jabeur reached the last eight of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open following a straight-sets (6-3 6-3) victory over 17-year-old Wakana Sonobe, setting up a mouthwatering quarter-final on Thursday against reigning champion Elena Rybakina who came from behind to beat Katie Volynets.

In arguably the performance of the day, USA's Ashlyn Krueger produced a stunning fightback to beat last year's runner-up, Daria Kasatkina, while Belinda Bencic and Leylah Fernandez are also through to the last eight after overcoming Veronika Kudermetova and Lulu Sun respectively.

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Fan-favourite Jabeur, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, 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, 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 the best 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 Number. 2 quickly regained her composure and began to dictate play, breaking the Japanese youngster twice on her way to a 6-3, 6-3 victory, and a hugely exciting meeting with Rybakina in what is a repeat of the 2022 Wimbledon final.

Looking ahead to the match, Jabeur, the first Arab player to reach a Grand Slam final, 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.”

Rybakina was forced to come from behind as she saw off 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 USA's Volynets to take control, an advantage she wouldn't relinquish in a hugely impressive first set which she won 6-2.

Kazakhstan's 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 defence 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 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 had too much for her opponent, producing a series of eye-catching shots as she recorded an impressive 6-0, 6-3 victory.

She now faces Krueger in the last eight tomorrow following her 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 Wednesday's doubles action, Bethanie Mattek-Sands/Lucie Safarova were knocked out in straight sets by Heather Watson/Luisa Stefani.

Mattek-Sands won last year's doubles competition, alongside compatriot Sofia Kenin. However, any hopes she harboured of securing consecutive triumphs was extinguished as Watson/Stefani sealed a 6-4, 6-4 win.

The match between Timea Babos/Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Hao Ching-Chan/Liudmila Samsonova, meanwhile, was settled via a hugely one-sided tie-break.

The contest, up until that point, had been very even, but the tie-break proved anything but as Babos/Melichar-Martinez stormed to a 10-1 victory.

They will be joined in the quarterfinals by Ulrikke Eikeri/Makoto Ninomiya, who recorded a 6-4, 6-0 over Desirae Krawczyk/Giuliana Olmos.