Naomi Osaka received a walkover into the Doha quarterfinals yesterday while Leylah Fernandez knocked out Australian Open runner-up Zheng Qinwen 7-5, 6-3.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka advanced after Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko, who beat Ons Jabeur in round two, pulled out with an elbow injury.
Osaka will meet another former world No 1, Karolina Pliskova, or Czech teenager Linda Noskova for a place in the last four, as the Japanese star continues her comeback from maternity leave.
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Chinese fifth seed Zheng let slip a strong position in the opening set where she led 5-3, as Fernandez broke twice in a row and reeled off the final four games.