Svitolina, Bencic exit Chicago after Friday’s quarter-finals

Ons Jabeur scored her first win in four career meetings over top seed Elina Svitolina to set up a semi-final clash against Elena Rybakina

Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine in action during the quarter-final of the 2021 Chicago Fall Tennis Classic WTA 500 tennis tournament against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia Photographer: Zuma / Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

October 2, 2021

Top seed Elina Svitolina and third seed Belinda Bencic failed to reach the semi-finals at the WTA Chicago Fall Tennis Classic as quarter-final action came to an end on Friday.

Svitolina was upset by Ons Jabeur 6-4, 6-2. The pair have a history dating back to the junior circuit but this was Jabeur’s first win over Svitolina in four attempts on the WTA Tour. The loss marked an end to Svitolina’s seven match winning streak in Chicago, after she had won the Chicago Women’s Open in August.

Jabeur’s dominant performance was evident from the stats of the match – she had 28 winners on the day to just nine from Svitolina, converted 4 of 13 on breakpoint opportunities, and 11/ 12 on break points saved on her own serve.

Giving credit to…. her drop shot 😂👏@Ons_Jabeur | #ChicagoTennisFestival pic.twitter.com/FiKhBMWPYO
— wta (@WTA) October 1, 2021

Meanwhile, third seed and Olympic champion Belinda Bencic was forced to pull out of her quarter-final clash against fifth seed Elena Rybakina in the second set due to a right knee injury.

In a rematch of their semi-final clash at the Olympics which Bencic had won, Rybakina was leading the Swiss woman 6-4, 3-1 when Bencic was unable to continue any longer.

Muguruza and Vondrousova set up semi-final clash

Second seed Garbine Muguruza ended the surprising run of Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama, who was making her WTA main draw debut this week.

Murguruza scored a 6-3. 6-2 win over Hontama, who is ranked No 200 in the world and came through the qualifying draw this week.

Bringing the power 😤@GarbiMuguruza | #ChicagoTennisFestival pic.twitter.com/vdswHFIoTB
— wta (@WTA) October 1, 2021

The Spaniard will meet Olympic silver medalist Marketa Vondrousova in the last semi-finals on Saturday. The Czech woman battled past in-form American Danielle Collins, the No 10 seed, 6-7(4), 6-0, 7-6(3) after an intense two hour- 32 minute struggle.

At the WTA Astana Open, top seed Yulia Putintseva and second seed Alison Van Uytvanck advanced to the final after straight-set wins on Friday.