Mayar Sherif: first Egyptian woman in WTA 1000 quarter finals

Egyptian Mayar Sherif became the first Egyptian woman in the WTA 1000 tournament quarter-finals, reached the quarter finals after beating Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the round of 16 during the Madrid Open on Monday.

Sherif, World No. 59, overcame Mertens, World No. 24, in a thrilling three-set match that ended by a score of 6-4, 0-6, 6-4. With Sherif’s magnificent win, she is set to face Sabalenka in her next match at the quarter finals.

Sherif will celebrate her 27th birthday on the fifth of May. She has made history so far in Madrid when she defeated Italian Camila Giorgi (4-6, 6-4 ret.), Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina (6-2, 7-6 (3)), and French Caroline Garcia, World number 5, (7-6 (2), 6-3) in the previous rounds.

This is Sherif’s first main draw appearance on clay at a WTA 1000 tournament. Over the past 5 years, she rose by more than 700 places in terms of the ranks.