Tennis News

DOHA, Qatar – Caroline Wozniacki survived a late wobble on Monday evening to edge past Ana Konjuh and into the second round of the Qatar Total Open.

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Success has proven hard to come by for Wozniacki this year, and getting over the finishing line against a hungry young opponent proved anything but straightforward.

Having weathered an early storm, the former World No.1, appeared to be cruising towards victory at 5-2 in the final set. However, liberated by the apparent hopelessness of the situation, Konjuh started to swing from the hip, clawing her way back level before eventually succumbing, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.

By the time one of her thumping forehands finally found the tape, the Croatian had saved eight match points and put Wozniacki and her camp through the emotional wringer.

“It’s the first match and you just want to get going,” Wozniacki said in her on-court interview. “I wasn’t hitting it well, and she was, but then I was 5-2 up in the third set. But I thought we’d give the crowd a little bit more excitement!”

After a sluggish start, the Dane tightened things up in the second set – in which she coughed up just four unforced errors – to turn the tide. She admitted that a faster start will be required next time out, when she takes on Daria Gavrilova, an impressive 6-1, 6-1 winner over Misaki Doi.

“Hopefully the next match is going to be better and I’ll get a better start,” Wozniacki said. “I’ve practiced with her a couple of times, but I’ve never played against her in a match.

“Yeah, she’s a fighter. She likes to come with a lot of different shots out there and she’s going to have you play that extra point.”

In the preceding match, Roberta Vinci celebrated her first day as a member of the Top 10 with a near-faultless 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lesia Tsurenko. Also advancing was her fellow Italian, Sara Errani, a 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 winner over Tsvetana Pironkova.