Sunday, Zanesvka, 28, 68th in the world, saw her opponent, the Polish Magda Linette (WTA 45), 30, 10th seed in this qualifying table, give up at the start of the second set. Zanevka had won the first set 6-2 and the first game of the second set was in progress when Linette threw in the towel.
To reach the final table, Zanevska will now have to beat the Russian Varvara Gracheva (WTA 61), victorious 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 over the Swiss Viktorija Golubic (WTA 36 / N.44). The Belgian, born in Odesa in Ukraine, and the 21-year-old Russian had already met during qualifying in Dubai, in the first round in 2018, with a victory for Zanevska. This is their only duel so far.
Elise Mertens is directly qualified in the final table. The Belgian number 1, 26th in the world, will be opposed to a qualifier in the 1st round. If she qualifies, Elise Mertens could find in the second round the Estonian Anett Kontaveit, 9th in the world and seeded N.7. Mertens had reached the semi-finals last year in Dubai, beaten by the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza (WTA 6), who then won the tournament.
