(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Fawad Hussain/ The Peninsula
Former World No.1 Garbine Muguruza sealed a straight-set win over Veronika Kudermetova 6-2, 7-6 to sail into the second round of Qatar Total Open that got under way at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, yesterday.
The opening day's action also saw fifth seed Kiki Bertens and seventh seed Jennifer Brady falling at first hurdles. Two-time Qatar Total Open champion Victoria Azarenka and three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber also advanced after winning their matches.
Garbine Muguruza of Spain hits a return shot to Veronika Kudermetova of Russia during their Qatar Total Open Round of 32 match played at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, yesterday.
Muguruza, the 2018 Doha finalist, claimed a 1 hour 45 minute-win over World No.34 Kudermetova to set up a mouth-watering clash with defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
'Good match ahead. I think we only played once. I feel like it was a long time ago, Muguruza said of her second round match against the Belarusian.
'I think she's (Sabalenka) playing great. Last year and this year I saw she's winning titles and playing good tennis. I'm excited to face these top players. I feel like every match is hard, the Spaniard, who is making her sixth straight appearance in Doha, added.
Dutch star Bertens, playing her first match since having Achilles surgery at the end of 2020, faced a strong performance from 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who won 6-0, 6-2 in 53 minutes after crushing 26 winners.
'Jelena was playing really well today. I think she had a great performance. Of course mine was not good, but I think it was more her than me today, Bertens said after her defeat yesterday.
Estonia's Anett Kontaveit also pulled off an upset, defeating America's Brady 6-1, 6-2 to set up a clash with Kerber in the second round. Germany's Kerber advanced after a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Turkish wildcard entry Cagla Buyukakcay.
Brady, who lost to Japan's Naomi Osaka in her first major final in Australian Open last month, made 25 unforced errors against her opponent. World No.24 Kontaveit had only nine unforced errors and didn't face a single break point against the seventh seed.
'I didn't really know what to expect in this match today. You know, I think the score might make it seem a little easier than it was. I'm definitely very happy with my performance today. And, yeah, it was maybe a little unexpected, said Kontaveit.
In last match of the day, eighth seed Azarenka, making Doha return after six years, dispatched time-time major champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-3 in straight games after defying late resistance from the Russian.
'I missed Doha and I am very happy to be back. Unfortunately, the environment is not the same due to limited number of fans but I am excited to be here now, said Azarenka in a post match interview.
No pressure on defending champion Sabalenka
Earlier yesterday, Sabalenka said being the defending champion in the tournament doesn't make much difference for her.
'I'm defending champion but still I feel there is nothing to lose, and, I'll just go for it and do everything I can. So it's not a big difference compared to last year, the Belarusian told reporters yesterday.
She defeated two-time Grand Slam winner Petra Kvitova in the last year's final and could become only the fourth player in the history to win title in Doha twice. Anastasia Myskina (2003, 2004), Maria Sharapova (2005, 2008) and Azarenka (2012, 2013) won the titles in Doha twice.
Speaking on her defeat to 23-times Grand Slam winner Serena Williams at Australia Open last month, the feisty player said: 'I felt like I missed my opportunity because I feel like if you are coming back from 1-4 and you're kind of feeling your game and you're there, you're fighting, you just have to take this opportunity.
'I felt like mentally I was a little bit up and she was down. Yeah, and also on the first set I didn't take my serve. Same situation in the third set. I would say it was like not really smart mistakes from me. Yeah, but it was good experience. Because I never played against these kind of champions like Serena. I would say, yeah, I missed my opportunity, she added.
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