MATCH POINTS
18-year-old Anastasia Potapova and 17-year-old qualifier Leylah Fernandez square off for the first time in an all-teenage quarterfinal. Roland Garros girls' champion Fernandez is competing in her maiden WTA quarterfinal, while Potapova is bidding to reach her fifth career semifinal and first since Jurmala last July. Along with 18-year-old Wang Xiyu, the trio comprise the largest number of teenagers in a WTA quarterfinal lineup since Tashkent 2018, when 19-year-olds Vera Lapko and Fanny Stollar made the last eight and a 17-year-old Potapova reached the final.
No.6 seed Zhu Lin faces qualifier Wang Xiyu in an all-Chinese quarterfinal derby. Zhu has won both previous times they have played, 6-4, 7-6(3) in the second round of the Chenzhou ITF W25 in 2016 and 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in Indian Wells qualifying last year. Wang, who made her WTA quarterfinal debut two weeks ago in Hua Hin, is bidding for her maiden semifinal, while Zhu is aiming to reach her third following Kuala Lumpur 2016 and Nanchang 2018.
Wildcard Renata Zarazua is the first Mexican player to reach a WTA quarterfinal since 2007, when Melissa Torres Sandoval also reached the Acapulco quarterfinals as a wildcard, defeating Nicole Pratt and Eva Birnerova before falling to Julia Schruff. Zarazua is bidding to become the first Mexican WTA semifinalist since former World No.34 Angelica Gavaldon made the last four of San Juan 1993. However, Tamara Zidansek defeated Zarazua 6-1, 7-5 in their only previous meeting, in Roland Garros 2018 qualifying.
2014 runner-up Christina McHale holds a 3-1 head-to-head lead over No.7 seed Heather Watson, including a 4-6, 6-0, 7-6(1) win in the first round of Acapulco 2016 - their most recent encounter, and only time they have previously played on outdoor hard courts. Elsewhere, McHale also defeated Watson twice on clay in 2011, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(3) in the first round of Charleston and 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 in Rome qualifying; the Briton picked up her sole win in the series 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the first round of the Poitiers ITF W100 in 2013.
ORDER OF PLAY
GRANDSTAND (starts 5pm)
[6] ZHU Lin (CHN) vs [Q] WANG Xiyu (CHN)
[7] Heather WATSON (GBR) vs Christina MCHALE (USA)
[WC] Renata ZARAZUA (MEX) vs Tamara ZIDANSEK (SLO)
Anastasia POTAPOVA (RUS) vs [Q] Leylah FERNANDEZ (CAN)
CANCHA 2 (starts 5.30pm)
Sabrina SANTAMARIA (USA) / Nina STOJANOVIC (SRB) vs Kateryna BONDARENKO (UKR) / Sharon FICHMAN (CAN)
Caroline DOLEHIDE (USA) / Astra SHARMA (AUS) vs [WC] Sara ERRANI (ITA) / Daniela SEGUEL (CHI)
[3] Ellen PEREZ (AUS) / Storm SANDERS (AUS) vs Nao HIBINO (JPN) / Heather WATSON (GBR)
Arantxa RUS (NED) / Tamara ZIDANSEK (SLO) vs [2] Desirae KRAWCZYK (USA) / Giuliana OLMOS (MEX)
