Polina, Eala and Hesse enter AHTC quarters

Top-seeded Polina Kudermetova and former US Open Junior champion Alexandra Eala were among the four booking their spots in the singles quarter-finals of the 27th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge (AHTC) being held at the Habtoor Grand Resort.

The top seed took her time for a lop-sided 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win against Germany’s Caroline Werner after the fourth-seeded teen from the Philippines had got past Yuliya Hatouka 6-3, 7-5 earlier in the afternoon.

Frenchwoman Amandine Hesse, who has come here with her family, was quick and smooth in her 6-4, 6-3 win against Great Britain’s Amarni Banks, while Japan’s Kyoka Okamura had to dig in deep before winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-0 in her match against eighth-seeded Berfu Cengiz of Turkiye.

Perhaps, the best of the action was left for the last match of the day as top-seeded Kudermetova battled from a set and 1-4 down in the second to win in three after two hours of gruelling action on the main court.

“That’s one huge relief for me personally. One set and 1-4 down and everyone must have thought it is over. But, I had other plans after all. The idea was just stay focused and continue doing the same things as I knew I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Slowly, I started a shift in my mentality and got more aggressive,” Kudermetova explained.

“I am the number one seed here, and there is always going to be that extra pressure. So I stopped thinking about everything around me, closed my mind and kept my focus on the task to be accomplished,” she added.

Also relieved for an entry into the last eight stages was Hesse, who had got into the main draw as one of two lucky losers. “I have nothing to lose, and I want to just go out there each time and enjoy the moment. I am here with my daughter, so it’s just right that I find happiness on and off the court,” the Frenchwoman said.

“Things have been a bit up and down during the season, and one of the regrets was missing playing in the Grand Slams by just ten points. But 2025 is going to be different for me as that is the promise I have made for myself,” she added.

Former US Open junior champion Eala was also in fine form as she remained well in control in her 6-3, 7-5 result against Hatouka.

“The idea is to take things one step at a time. This was no easy match, and I am aware that things aren’t going to get any easier as the week progresses,” the 19-year-old admitted.

“I have to be at my best, and I am quite pleased with the way I have been able to handle various situations on court during the past couple of days,” she added as she prepared to take on Okamura in their quarter-final on Friday.

Action will continue from 11 am on Thursday with the other four quarter-finalists being decided Great Britain’s Jodie Anna Burrage will be up against Viktoria Hruncakova, while Evialina Laskevich will face Sofia Costoulas in the early matches.