The Mubadala Citi DC Open is the first prestigious event of the second part of the hard court season, kicking off the North American swing that will highlight the upcoming weeks, culminating in the US Open Grand Slam at the end of August.

The WTA 500 event features a decent line-up with four players ranked in the top 20 and several other notable names in the draw. The first two rounds brought significant upsets, setting up promising decisive stages from the quarterfinals onward.

Here is the roster of the upcoming quarterfinals with a preview and analytical comparison of each pairing:

Leylah Fernandez vs. Taylor Townsend

The Canadian secured her spot in the quarters after defeating top seed Jessica Pegula - a huge upset considering that the American, currently world No. 4, is known for her consistent, solid form. It was the first time in this ranking period that Pegula was eliminated in her opening match. Fernandez had already gained some momentum in DC, eliminating one of the top young revelations of the season, Maya Joint, in straight sets. She started the tie against Pegula well, winning the first set comfortably. Pegula responded strongly, dominating the second 6-1, but the third set turned into a tight battle. Fernandez proved more clinical in the decisive moments, closing out the match 6-3, 1-6, 7-5.

On paper, Fernandez should be the favorite against Taylor Townsend. However, the American - hovering around the top 100 - is having a great run in Washington, starting from the qualifiers and yet to drop a set in the main draw. She defeated the in-form Tatjana Maria and fellow American Sofia Kenin. Townsend's 6-3, 6-0 win over Kenin served as a perfect revenge for their recent Wimbledon meeting, where Kenin had prevailed in straight sets. The stats comparison for their performance on hard courts this season so far do also reflect not much difference between both, so the game for the place in semifinals is definitely on.

Elena Rybakina (3) vs. Magdalena Frech (5)

The Kazakh began her American swing in strong fashion, defeating Canadian youngster Viktoria Mboko 6-3, 7-5. Frech, meanwhile, grabbed headlines by facing a true legend in the round of 16 - Venus Williams. The 45-year-old returned to competition and pulled off one of the most shocking upsets of the season, comfortably defeating 22-years-younger Peyton Stearns in straight sets. The odds heavily favored Stearns at 1.04.

Though another upset seemed unlikely, the odds were more cautious against Frech, placing her at 1.27. The Pole handled the pressure well, and after a tight start, pulled away to win 6-2, 6-2. This followed a solid opening-round victory over Yuliia Starodubtseva (6-2, 6-4). Frech was clinical against Williams, winning 10 of 12 pressure points on serve and 10 of 17 on return. This is an important week for Frech, who’s had a weaker season compared to last year. She's currently 71st in the WTA Race (10 places higher on the live list), with many points still to defend this year, although she remains in the top 30 of the main rankings. Still, if Rybakina brings her A-game, Frech's defensive style may not be enough to cause an upset tonight.

Clara Tauson (4) vs. Anna Kalinskaya

The Dane, one of the top four seeds, received a first-round bye but made up for the rest with a marathon clash against Caroline Dolehide in the round of 16. Tauson came from a set down, winning a tightly contested second set that lasted nearly 90 minutes. She eventually prevailed 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 after 3 hours and 19 minutes to secure her quarterfinal spot.

Anna Kalinskaya’s season has been a mix of highs and lows. This is her fourth quarterfinal of 2025, yet she lingers around 60th in the WTA Race live rankings. She had a manageable draw up to this point, securing confident straight-set wins over veteran Magda Linette (6-4, 6-0) and fellow Russian Kamilla Rakhimova (6-2, 6-3). This will be the second meeting between Kalinskaya and Tauson this month - Tauson beat her in the second round of Wimbledon, 6-3, 7-6(10).

Emma Raducanu vs. Maria Sakkari

The Brit has returned to the WTA top 50 and is enjoying a successful run on American hard courts. This is her first tournament appearance since reaching the quarterfinals at the WTA 1000 in Miami back in March - and so far, it’s another promising campaign. Raducanu posted convincing straight-set wins over Marta Kostyuk and Naomi Osaka. The Osaka match may appear one-sided on the scoreboard, but it was Raducanu’s clinical execution in key moments that made the difference. She faced just two break points (saving both) and converted three of four on return.

Maria Sakkari will be hoping to claim her first win over Raducanu, having lost all three of their previous encounters - including their most recent in Dubai this February. The Greek is working to rebuild her position in the field after a major slump last year. She’s off to a strong start here, yet to drop a set after beating Katie Boulter in the first round and upsetting second seed Emma Navarro in two tight sets 7-5, 7-6(1).