After 1 hour and 21 minutes took the Limburg with 6-4 and 6-0. In the first round, Mertens a Belgian tête-à-tête short shrift with Kirsten Flipkens (WTA-59).
For a place in the semi-finals takes the titelverdedigster against the Greek sixth seed Maria Sakkari (WTA 51), which with twice 6-4 the measure took of the Romanian qualifier Isabella Shinikova (WTA 215). It is the sixth confrontation between the 23-year-old Mertens and leeftijdsgenote Sakkari. The balance is in equilibrium (3-3).
In total, five Belgian women in action in the singles of the WTA tournament of Rabat. Except Mertens put also Alison Van Uytvanck (WTA-52) and Ysaline Bonaventure (WTA-122) for the quarter-finals. They will compete in a mutual duel for a spot in the final four. Greet Minnen (WTA 192) went out in the third and final qualifying round, Flipkens failed to achieve so in the first round.