Singapore Draw Blown Open Before Prozorova’s Breakthrough Takes a Cruel Turn

Only two seeds survived a brutal quarterfinal day in Singapore, and they will meet in the semifinals. #5 Maja Chwalińska dismantled defending champion Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-2, winning seven straight games from 2-2 and nine of 10 overall. Mertens finished with 40 unforced errors as Chwalińska kept changing the picture with slices, topspin, drop shots, lobs and sudden pace. The Roland-Garros finalist has surrendered just 11 games through three matches and earned her first career Top 20 victory on the way to her second tour-level semifinal.

#6 Leylah Fernandez supplied the day’s biggest upset, knocking out top seed Mirra Andreeva 6-2, 7-5. Fernandez appeared ready to run away with the second set at 5-2 before Andreeva won three straight games, but the Canadian stopped the comeback, broke again at 5-5 and served it out. Fernandez is now 3-2 against Andreeva and has won all three of their meetings on hard courts.