Elise Mertens, 24, had never met in singles Zvonareva, who returned to the circuit after giving birth to her daughter Evelina in 2016. At 36, the singles finalist at Wimbledon and the US Open in 2010, s ‘Now illustrates especially in doubles where she is ranked 41st and has just triumphed at Flushing Meadows with the German Laura Siegemund after beating the Belgian No. 1 in the process.
The Muscovite had an invitation in the singles draw in Austria.
Mertens will meet another Russian Veronika Kudermetova (WTA 46) for a place in the last four of this indoor hard-court event endowed with 202,250 dollars. The Kazan native eliminated Dutch Arantxa Rus 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 on Thursday.
This will be a third meeting between them. The Louvanist by birth won the first two in Moscow in 2016 (6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-2) and in Cincinnati this year (6-2, 6-3).
