Tennis News

BRISBANE, Australia – No.6 seed Elina Svitolina opened her 2017 season with a comfortable straight sets win over Monica Puig, easing into the second round at the Brisbane International.

Svitolina is enjoying a career-high ranking of No.14 and, with a new coaching team behind her, has already seen the benefits in the New Year. She needed an hour and 17 minutes to complete her 6-3, 6-3 victory over the Olympic champion.

Perfect passing shot from @ElinaSvitolina! ? #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/6qHlQKCV2G

— WTA (@WTA) January 2, 2017

Puig showed flashes of her world-beating form throughout the encounter, but played overly aggressive, trying to end the points too quickly and was waylaid by her own unforced errors. She hit 36 errors to Svitolina’s 17 over the course of two sets, compared to 13 winners against Svitolina’s 15.

Svitolina rode out the assault and replied with her brand of pace and defensive skills, breaking twice in each set and never looking to be in too much trouble.

.@ElinaSvitolina slides past Puig 6-3, 6-3 in @BrisbaneTennis first round! pic.twitter.com/1mtZSewJWD

— WTA (@WTA) January 2, 2017

Awaiting Svitolina in the second round is Shelby Rogers, who opened her Brisbane account yesterday with a win over Eugenie Bouchard, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1.

More to follow…

DOHA, Qatar – Jelena Ostapenko prevailed in Thursday’s battle of the giant killers at the Qatar Total Open, seeing off Zheng Saisai in straight sets.

Watch live action from Doha & Acapulco this week on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!

Twenty-four hours on from her dismissal of two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, Ostapenko produced another scintillating display of baseline aggression to blow away Zheng, 6-4, 6-3, in an hour and 38 minutes.

While Zheng was unable to replicate the standards she set in upsetting top seed Angelique Kerber last time out, she battled away gamely throughout. After weathering early onslaughts in both sets – she trailed 3-0 in the first and 4-1 in the second – Zheng clung onto her teenage foe’s coattails to remain competitive.

However, her resistance was finally broken in a titanic penultimate game, Ostapenko converting her fifth break point when a clubbing backhand landed on the baseline. Moments later the Latvian arrived at match point, converting with another pin-point winner.

“First I thought I was going to be playing qualies, but then I was second in and got into the main draw,” Ostapenko said. “Then win by win, I was playing better and better. I’m so happy I’m still here!”

Ostapenko was prepared to take risks – 33 winners were outnumbered by 45 unforced errors – and her reward is a maiden Premier semifinal, where she will meet either Garbiñe Muguruza or Andrea Petkovic.

“They are both great players, so I’ll probably watch today how they’ll play and I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow.”

In the following match, Carla Suárez Navarro restored a sense of order with a 6-3, 7-6(3) win over qualifier Elena Vesnina. The result takes Suárez Navarro into her second semifinal in Doha and also back into the Top 10.

The Spaniard has been one of the most consistent performers on tour in recent years and has been vocal about her hopes of rising even higher.

“Today was very tough, she has won a lot of matches and is playing really well,” Suárez Navarro said. “In the second set she was amazing! But I just fight and I also played a good match.

“It’s tough on tour, but I feel good on tour and this year I feel ready to go further.”