Stephens saves 3 match-points, Trevisan retires

Rabat (Morocco) – The quarterfinal round of the WTA 250 in Rabat saw mixed results for the top two seeds. While Sloane Stephens won a tough game and advanced to the semifinals of the Moroccan tournament on clay courts, Martina Trevisan withdrew from the dispute.

Champion last year and current 26th in the ranking, Trevisan stayed on the court for just 40 minutes and played the first set against the Austrian Julia Grabher. The Italian played from the start with protection on her right leg, and spoke to the tournament’s physiotherapists after losing the partial by 6/3. She preferred not to continue on the court and seek recovery at Roland Garros, as she defends semi in Paris.

Current 74th in the ranking at the age of 26, Grabher returns to action this Friday at 8 am (Brasília time) and tries to reach her first WTA final. Her opponent will be the young 20 years old Argentinian Julia Riera, which came back to surprise in the competition. The current 195th in the world and disputing her first WTA bracket had already beaten seed 3 Mayar Sherif in the round of 16, and this Thursday she beat Kazakh Yulia Putintseva, sixth seed and 61st in the ranking, by 5/7, 6 /4 and 6/2.

On the other side of the key, Sloane Stephens fought for 2h46 and saved three match-points in the North American duel against the 21-year-old Peyton Stearns, 69th in the ranking, scoring the partials of 6/7 (4-7), 6/ 3 and 7/6 (8-6). Former world No. 3 and winner of seven WTA tournaments, Stephens is ranked No. 35 and is seeking her 11th career final at the age of 30.

Stephens’ opponent in Friday’s second semifinal will be Italian Lucia Bronzetti, ranked 102nd, who beat American Alycia Parks 6-2, 6-0. The confrontation is unprecedented on the circuit and Bronzetti, 24 years old, is looking for his first title and the second final of his career.

Ingrid plays in the doubles final this Friday
The doubles final in Rabat is scheduled for 11 am (Brasília time) and will have Brazilian participation. Carioca Ingrid Martins and Belarusian partner Lidziya Marozava face North American Sabrina Santamaria and Russian Yana Sizikova. Ingrid, 26, is in her first WTA 250 final. She occupies the 86th place in the ranking and could reach the top 70 in case of a title.