Jasmin Open: No trouble for Mertens as second seed books semi-final spot

Belgian Elise Mertens, the second seed, beat Japan’s Mai Hontama 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the Jasmin Open at the Skanes Family Hotel Monastir on Friday evening.

Mertens, ranked No 36, will play the winner of the match between Frenchwoman Clara Burel, the No 8 seed, and Italian Lucrezia Stefanini next.

Earlier in the tournament, the Belgian won against Filipino qualifier Alexandra Eala (7-5, 6-0) and Belarusian Iryna Shymanovich (6-3, 6-2).

Hontama, ranked No 124, won against Spaniard Aliona Bolsova (4-6, 6-4, 6-0) and Argentinian Nadia Podoroska (6-2, 6-1) in the previous rounds of the Monastir tournament.

Monastir WTA 250, other quarter-final results (Skanes Family Hotel Monastir, USD 259.303, most recent results first):

• Clara Burel vs. Lucrezia Stefanini
• Lesia Tsurenko (4) beat Nuria Parrizas Diaz: 6-3, 6-2
• Jasmine Paolini (1) beat Lucia Bronzetti (6): 7-5, 7-6 (3)