Russian Liudmila Samsonova, seeded No. 6, defeated Elise Mertens from Belgium with a score of 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals of the WTA National Bank Open at the Aviva Centre in Toronto on Friday.
Samsonova, currently ranked No. 13, will face fellow Russian Diana Shnaider, seeded No. 14, in the next round after Shnaider’s surprising victory over Coco Gauff, the tournament’s top seed, in the round of 16.
Samsonova, who was the runner-up at this tournament last year, also beat Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima (6-4, 6-2) earlier in the week, marking her fourth WTA quarterfinal appearance of the 2024 season.
Mertens, ranked No. 35, secured wins against American qualifier Katie Volynets (6-3, 6-1) and Japanese wildcard Naomi Osaka (6-3, 6-4) in previous rounds of the tournament.
Toronto WTA 1000, other round of 16 results (Aviva Centre, hard, USD 3,211,715):
- Diana Shnaider defeated Coco Gauff (1) with a score of 6-4, 6-1
- Peyton Stearns beat Victoria Azarenka (12) with a score of 6-4, 4-2 (retired)
- Amanda Anisimova beat Anna Kalinskaya (10) with a score of 6-2 (retired)
- Jessica Pegula (3) beat Ashlyn Krueger (Q) with a score of 6-2, 6-4
- Taylor Townsend (LL) beat Jelena Ostapenko (4) with a score of 6-2, 6-1
- Emma Navarro (8) beat Marta Kostyuk (11) with a score of 7-5, 7-5
- Katie Boulter vs. Aryna Sabalenka
