Teenage qualifier Julieta Pareja`s remarkable journey at the Copa Colsanitas Zurich continues as she secured a quarterfinal victory against Leolia Jeanjean with a score of 7-6(5), 6-3 on Friday.
The 16-year-old American player, currently ranked No. 550, is making her debut in a WTA main draw. Her advancement to the tour-level semifinal marks her as the youngest player to achieve this since 15-year-old Coco Gauff`s win in Linz back in 2019.
Reflecting on her performance, Pareja mentioned, `I am not surprised by my level of play, but I am amazed by the tournament itself. Reaching the semifinals at a 250 event is incredible! I believe my skill is evident, and I am proud to demonstrate it.`
Pareja`s consistent and powerful groundstrokes, especially her forehand which she effectively used to target all areas of the court, presented a compelling contrast to Jeanjean, ranked No. 116, who employed varied spins and strategic drop shots. The young player also demonstrated resilience in overcoming scoreboard challenges. In the first set, she recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win a close set in a tiebreak, regaining composure after missing an initial set point at 5-4. She then established a strong 4-0 lead in the second set and maintained her composure even when Jeanjean narrowed the gap to 4-3. In the decisive game, Pareja played assertively, hitting consecutive forehand winners to secure match point.
Pareja stated, `I maintained my focus and concentration to prevent her from getting back into the match.` Hailing from California with Colombian heritage, Pareja entered the tournament as a qualifying wild card and has not lost a set in her five matches. She is now aiming to become the first player to reach a final in their WTA debut since Noma Noha Akugue at Hamburg 2023.
In the semifinals, Pareja is set to compete against fellow qualifier Katarzyna Kawa. Kawa, ranked No. 223 from Poland, caused an upset by defeating No. 1 seed Marie Bouzkova with scores of 5-7, 6-1, 7-5. Kawa`s journey to the semifinals has been marked by lengthy matches, including a 2-hour, 44-minute battle in this quarterfinal. Earlier in the tournament, Kawa played matches lasting 2 hours and 57 minutes, 4 hours and 13 minutes, and 2 hours and 47 minutes. She has spent a total of 13 hours and 45 minutes on court across five matches.
Kawa`s advancement marks her second tour-level semifinal appearance, with her first being at the Jurmala final in 2019, also during her WTA main-draw debut.
Meanwhile, No. 2 seed and defending champion Camila Osorio is still in contention for her third title on home ground after defeating No. 6 seed Tatjana Maria, another past Bogota champion, with a score of 6-1, 6-3. Osorio, from Colombia, will face Julia Riera of Argentina in a South American semifinal matchup. Riera advanced by defeating qualifier Lea Boskovic 6-3, 2-6, 6-1. This is Riera’s second tour-level semifinal, her first being at Rabat 2023, also on her WTA main-draw debut.
