Tennis News

DOHA, Qatar – No.3 seed Agnieszka Radwanska moved safely into the third round of the Qatar Total Open on Tuesday with a straight set win over qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko.

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On a blustery afternoon, Radwanska had to withstand a spirited display from the World No.75, before eventually coming through, 6-4, 6-4.

As one of the game’s elite, Radwanska has played much of her tennis down the years at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex during the prime-time evening slot. It is an arrangement that has suited her well, the Pole reaching the semifinals on four occasions.

However, she began her latest title tilt in conditions not ideally suited to her eye-pleasing repertoire of strokes. “I think we all have to get used to different conditions. It was also windy. So it wasn’t the easiest time to play and maybe it wasn’t the prettiest match, but the most important thing is that I won and I’m very happy about that.”

It has been a fine start to 2016 for Radwanska, who has built on the momentum of her victory at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global by winning in Shenzhen and then reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open.

“I had a great start to the year, obviously, and I had a good rest after Australia. But I’ve been working hard since so I can play the same tennis here and do as well as in other years.”

Despite her lack of recent competitive action – she sat out Poland’s Fed Cup tie and withdrew from Dubai because of a leg injury – Radwanska delivered a typically tidy display – decorated by the odd touch of brilliance – hitting 17 winners and the same number of unforced errors.

Radwanska will next face either Monica Niculescu or former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic.

“They’re both very good, very solid opponents and it’s going to be another great challenge for me,” Radwanska said. “I’m going to watch the match, have some rest and be ready for tomorrow.”

Also coming through a tough second round assignment was Petra Kvitova, who defeated in-form compatriot Barbora Strycova, 7-6(2), 6-4.

Last week in Dubai, Strycova made it all the way to the final and she delivered another reputation-enhancing showing. Kvitova was an early casualty in Dubai, and must have feared the worst when Strycova served for the opening set. But the No.5 seed dug deep – fending off a couple of set points – to pinch it on a tie-break.

Despite an improved showing in the second set, Kvitova’s 18 winners were still offset by 30 unforced errors, leaving her with room to improve in the next round. “It was pretty close in the first set – she had a couple of set points – but I was just trying to take it point by point,” Kvitova said.

The result extends Kvitova’s unbeaten run against fellow Czech’s to 18 matches, her last defeat coming against Lucie Hradecka in Madrid nearly four years ago.

“It was a really important win for me today. Not just for the tournament but also the season – I hope this match will help me.”

DOHA, Qatar – Elena Vesnina notched one of the biggest wins of her career over No.2 seed Simona Halep in the second round of the Qatar Total Open, shocking her 6-7(1), 6-4, 6-1.

The Russian qualifier, ranked No.118 in the world, was fresh off of a first round upset against Caroline Garcia, a semifinalist last week in Dubai. She was up against the World No.4, who was playing on her favorite surface and on familiar ground – Halep is a 2014 champion here in Doha and last year had a WTA-leading 44-11 win-loss record on hardcourts.

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Halep had plenty of opportunities to put Vesnina away in the first set but the Russian refused to fold -Halep created 13 break opportunities and only converted on two of those occasions. But one of those occasions was exactly when it counted; Vesnina was serving for the set at 6-5 when Halep broke her serve, sending the match into a tiebreak.

The Romanian found another gear and played a near-perfect tiebreak, allowing Vesnina only one point before grabbing the first set 7-6(1).

Halep backed up her dominance in the tiebreak with an equally commanding start to the second set, winning four out of the next five games to race ahead to a 4-1 lead.

Seemingly down and nearly out of the match with the World No.4 up a set and a double break, Vesnina was somehow still able to gut out a comeback. What was going through the Russian’s mind?

“That’s my character – I’m always fighting ’til the end,” she said. “I was thinking, ‘I’m on center court here in Doha, I’m playing Simona, 1-4 down – but it doesn’t matter.

“I just fight game by game, ball by ball, and it just worked.”

Her mentality definitely worked: Vesnina came back to win the next four out of five games to take back the set at 6-4 and level the match. Halep started out the final set with a break at love, but Vesnina stayed on course and won six consecutive games, sealing the final game of the match with a timely ace followed by a deadly backhand down the line for match point.

With the win Vesnina not only reached her first round of 16 stage of the year, she also scored her sixth Top 10 win of her career – the first since 2013.

“For the last two years, this win is No.1 for me,” an emotional Vesnina said after the match. “Simona is a great player, she’s such a solid player. She’s had an amazing couple of years; she’s in Top 10 in the world. I’m really pleased with my game today.” 

ACAPULCO, Mexico – Playing her first WTA match since her incredible Australia campaign, Victoria Azarenka shook off the rust and withstood a tough challenge from Polona Hercog, coming back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.

“I don’t really come with too many expectations to any tournament, and this is not an exception,” Azarenka told press after the match. “I’m here trying to work on my game.

“My first match, it was a little bit uncomfortable at first. But I need to do that in matches to improve my game.”

Azarenka, who was making her Acapulco main draw debut, was up against the World No.82 Hercog, who was a finalist here in 2010. She struggled in the first set and showed signs of frustration – Azarenka was broken three times and her powerful groundstrokes were misfiring, racking up unforced errors. The Belarusian got one break back and fought off a set point, but gave up the first set 6-4.

Dropping the opening set seemed to be just the motivation that Azarenka needed, though, and once her game clicked, there was no looking back. She broke Hercog for 4-2 and went on to grab the next two of three games, winning the set 6-3. Azarenka was nearly unstoppable in the third – after Hercog held serve to get on board, Azarenka won the next six games to close out the match in commanding fashion, 6-1.

“I had way too many unforced errors in the beginning, but it wasn’t really a big deal,” Azarenka said of her adjustments in the second half of the match. “Just little mistakes there and there – I just cleaned it up.

“I just tried to stay a little bit more consistent and really take my opportunities better and execute my game better. “

Though she survived the tough encounter, Azarenka won’t be getting a break in the next match. Awaiting her in the second round is the on fire Dominika Cibulkova, who dominated her clash with Lourdes Dominguez Lino, winning 6-0, 6-0.

“It went pretty well,” the always-understated Cibulkova commented after the 52-minute match. “I was really strong mentally today and that’s why I won.

“I wouldn’t say I was playing really, really good. I was playing OK, I played the way I needed to play.”

She didn’t face a single break point in the straight sets romp, and didn’t let the blustery conditions affect her. What helped her stay focused?

“I am an experienced player so I know how to not get crazy about the heat, the sun and the shades,” she said, referring to the tough conditions on the grandstand court. “If I’m thinking about everything else but not the game, it would be much more tough.”

Also though to the second round is Shelby Rogers – last week’s Acapulco finalist – who survived a tough opening set to defeat Anna Tatishvili 7-6(6), 6-0. Christina McHale downed Heather Watson 4-6, 6-0, 7-6(1) to advance. No.7 seed Danka Kovinic, qualifier Julia Glushko and Olga Govortosova are through as well.

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