The thought of capturing a third Hobart International title has crossed the mind of Elise Mertens, but the Belgian is well aware she is only halfway towards achieving her dream.
The 2024 top seed breezed into another quarterfinal at the Domain Tennis Centre on Wednesday after brushing aside 2019 finalist Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-2, 6-2, setting up a last eight showdown with Arantxa Rus.
Mertens is the only two-time champion in the tournament’s history – winning back-to-back crowns in 2017-18 – and boasts a 17-2 record on the courts, with last year’s shock first round exit to Maryna Zanevska the only major blemish on her Hobart record.
Against Schmiedlova she was ruthless from the outset, breaking to love in the opening game and adding a second break in the fifth before closing out the set in 32 minutes.
Although she only landed 58 per cent of her first serves in the set, Mertens won all 11 points when her first ball went in and won 31 of the 45 total points in a dominant display.
Schmiedlova began to find her range early in the second set but still fell behind 2-1 before immediately responding with her first break of serve for the match to level the scores.
However Mertens quickly regained control and reeled off the last four games to close out the clash in one hour and 16 minutes.
“I started strong, I didn’t really make a lot of errors, especially with the wind, I think she adjusted a bit later, in the second set,” Mertens said.
“I felt she was beginning to start better in the second, maybe my quality was a bit less, but overall my mentality was good and I really wanted to win this one.
“That would be amazing, no words, to win a title three times. But we are only in the quarterfinals and we are in the middle of the tournament, I’ve won two and need to win three more.
“It’s close, but still pretty far away.”
Mertens will now face Rus, who knocked out eighth seed Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-3 earlier in the day.
The two have squared off twice before – both won by Mertens back in 2015.
Third seed Lin Zhu survived a huge scare against Caroline Dolehide before booking her spot in the quarterfinals.
Getty Images: Steve Bell
Zhu dropped the first and was down a break in the third to the big hitting American, before rallying to register a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win in two hours and 13 minutes.
Other matches in the day session saw ninth seed Tatjana Maria dismantled 0-6, 1-6 by Bulgarian lucky loser Viktoriya Tomava, who needed just 59 minutes to keep her good fortunes going after losing her last match of qualifying before earning a reprieve. Chinese qualifier Yue Yhan, who stunned Sloane Stephens in the first round, also continued her hot form by upsetting compatriot Xinyu Wang 7-5, 6-3.
Second seed Emma Navarro will face Magdalena Frech at 5:30pm.
Australian Daria Saville headlines the night session on centre court against 2019 champion Sofia Kenin, which will be followed by the clash between fifth seed Marie Bouzkova and qualifier Yulia Putintseva.
Hobart International 2024, proudly supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, will be held at the Domain Tennis Centre from 6-13 January 2024.
Adult tickets start from $25^ and kids go free* with a paying adult during the entire tournament, including finals.
From general admission to premium experiences, visit hobartinternational.com.au for all tournament ticketing options.