You're reading: Ukraine’s tennis player Svitolina reaches Rogers Cup semifinals in Montreal

Ukrainian tennis player Elina Svitolina defeated her Belgian rival Elise Mertens in the Rogers Cup quarterfinals held in Montreal, Canada on Aug. 11.

The meeting of the two resulted with a 7-5, 6-3 score paving the way for the Ukrainian player to the tournament’s semifinals on Aug. 12.

23-year-old Svitolina, who is ranked as the world’s 5th best player by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), fell behind 0-4 in the opening set, but later managed to bounce back to gain a straight-set victory in one hour and 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Elise Mertens of Belgium is ranked 15th in the WTA ratings.

“I think (Mertens) started pretty well,” Svitolina said, according to WTA. “She was striking the ball and everything was going in for her. I just had to accept and move from there. I was just trying to stay longer in that set. I think it really helped me to get back my rhythm, and then I was just going more and more for my shots. I think this was the key.”

Earlier this year, Mertens defeated the Ukrainian player during the Australian Open quarterfinals on Jan. 23.

“She was playing really amazing tennis (in Australia), so I was expecting a similar thing tonight,” Svitolina added. “I knew the way she was hitting the ball. That’s why I was just trying to be ready for it. Definitely, it helped.”

As a result of her latest victory, Svitolina is to meet with WTA’s third top ranking player Sloane Stephens.