Tennis News

DUBAI, UAE – The first day of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships brought the first upset as CoCo Vandeweghe knocked out last year’s finalist Karolina Pliskova in straight sets.

Watch live action from Dubai & Rio de Janeiro this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Unsurprisingly, given both players’ fearsome serves, break opportunities were few and far between in the opening set. However, once Vandeweghe had pinched that, it was one-way traffic, as she sailed through, 7-6(5), 6-1.

“Taking care of my service games was my main focus. And then in the tie-breaker, I mean, every point matters,” Vandeweghe said. “So when I had my opportunity, I was going to take it. Sometimes I messed up and other times I was successful. But I wasn’t going to allow her to dictate me in the tie-breaker. So that’s what I was thinking going in.”

The tie-break’s decisive crucial moment came when Vandeweghe turned defense to attack with a rifled backhand that brought up two set points. The No.6 seed managed to fend off the first, but could not complete the escape, pushing a backhand long on the following point. 

“Then the second set, getting that early break was really key. Then, you know, from there I just kind of went into a rhythm and continued to steamroll,” Vandeweghe added.

One former runner-up that did make it safely into the second round was Julia Goerges, who enjoyed an easier-than-expected outing against Svetlana Kuznetsova. Goerges, a finalist back in 2012, needed only 57 minutes to knock out the No.8 seed, 6-1, 6-0, and set up a meeting with either Barbora Strycova or Tsvetana Pironkova.

“A very solid performance but at the same time being aggressive and didn’t make that many mistakes,” Goerges said. “Well, I just didn’t give her any chance to get into the match and get into her rhythm, because if she has time she creates good balls and deep balls, and that’s what I tried to take away from her. That worked pretty well today.

“That’s what you’re working for, to play as consistent as possible and why you train every day, and it’s very satisfying to see the performance like this today.”

Also advancing on the opening day was Goerges’ fellow German, Andrea Petkovic. In four previous visits to Dubai, Petkovic has won just two main draw matches, but looked full of confidence in her opening outing this time, brushing aside the mercurial Camila Giorgi, 6-2, 6-1.

NEW YORK, NY, USA – No.2 seeded Angelique Kerber started out her US Open campaign with a comfortable win against Polona Hercog, who retired from the match down 6-0, 1-0.

“To be honest, it’s never the way I would like to finish the match, but I went out there to feel my rhythm and start the tournament well.I played the first set really good, so this is what I will take from this match, that I’m playing my tennis,” Kerber said after the match.

“For me, it’s always tricky the first few rounds.So it’s always good to have the first round done.Just now focusing on the next rounds.”

The 28-year-old lefty, who is the WTA’s match win leader as well as the hardcourt win leader, is bidding to win her second Grand Slam title in 2016, a feat which would see her potentially unseat Serena Williams and reach the WTA’s No.1 ranking.

“I mean, for sure I want to be one day No. 1, I think this is a goal from everybody, especially also for me,” Kerber said. “But I will not putting too much pressure on myself like I said a lot of times, because I know that when I put the pressure I’m not playing my tennis then.

“You know, I will go out there to win every match going step by step.If the day will come someday it will be amazing.But, yeah, just let’s see.I have to win few more matches.”

She’s got one match in the bag already against Hercog, who has not won a hardcourt match since February. The Slovakian player seemed to wilt under the harsh heat and dropped the opening set after just 29 minutes. After a medical time out, Hercog tried to continue against Kerber but was forced to withdraw from the match citing dizziness.

She’ll face Mirjana Lucic-Baroni in the second round after the Croat ousted Alizé Cornet 6-4, 6-1.