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The Qatar Total Open kicked off on Monday with two-time champion Victoria Azarenka and former finalists Jelena Ostapenko, Garbiñe Muguruza and Angelique Kerber all winning their opening matches.
In the last game, No.8 Azarenka ousted two-time runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-3, to reserve her place in the second round in Qatar.
Azarenka, who won back-to-back Doha titles in 2012 and 2013, improved her head-to-head record against Kuznetsova to 6-4 with her one hour and 42 minute victory. It was the first meeting between the two-time Grand Slam champions since their confrontation in the 2016 Miami Open final, won by Azarenka.
Azarenka converted three of his four break points in the opening frame, which at 44 minutes was longer than the score suggests. Kuznetsova nearly tied Azarenka in the opening game winner, but had five more unforced errors.
A two-game streak in the second set was crucial: Azarenka’s solid return got her a break for 3-2, and she fought five break points in an extended game to hold on for 4-2 and maintain her strength. advantage.
Azarenka missed three match points serving for the match at 6-2, 5-2, but took the win in the following match, converting her sixth match point into a break for the win.
Ostapenko, who was Doha’s finalist when she debuted in the tournament in 2016, defeated No.5 Kiki Bertens 6-0, 6-2.
2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko put in a commanding performance against Bertens, picking up her 21st career victory against a Top 20 opponent.
Ostapenko, who reached the second WTA singles final of his career in Doha five years ago, has hit 26 winners against 19 unforced errors, a solid ratio for his aggressive playing style.
Bertens was playing in his first game since Achilles surgery at the end of 2020, a five-month gap in his game. The former world No.4 kept his first-serve percentage solid, but his powerful game didn’t resulted in only six winners that day.
Ostapenko covered the first set and moved away in the second with a few forehands for a 5-1 lead.
Bertens, however, converted his first breakpoint opportunity to thwart Ostapenko’s first chance to serve the game. But Ostapenko took control in the next game, slamming a cross backhand winner to complete the game in just 53 minutes.
Former world number one Muguruza also claimed a straight-set victory, ousting Veronika Kudermetova, 6-2, 7-6 (4). Muguruza, making his sixth consecutive appearance in the Doha main draw, reached the final in 2018.
The Spaniard has only been beaten by Top 30 players so far in 2021. The two-time major champion maintained that streak with a one-hour and 45-minute win over world No.34 Kudermetova.
In the second set, Kudermetova prevented Muguruza from serving the game both 5-4 and 6-5. Muguruza remained stable in the tiebreaker, finding strong practice volleys when he counted to push her in the second round.
“Veronika was a very tough opponent,” Muguruza said in his post-match press conference. “I’m just happy with this win. We played a year ago, and I remember it was a tough game. Happy to have ended it in straight sets.”
With her victory, Muguruza sets up an intriguing second-round affair against No.3 seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
“I think [Sabalenka is] playing very well, “Muguruza said.” Last year and this year I saw that she was winning titles and playing good tennis. I am delighted to face these top players. “
Also in Monday’s first round, Anett Kontaveit knocked out a seed with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over 7th seed Jennifer Brady, 2021 Australian Open finalist.
Kontaveit started the game on a high, hitting three net return winners in Brady’s opening service game. World No.24 Kontaveit continued on this path, beating Brady three times without ever facing a breaking point.
Kontaveit hit 17 winners with just nine unforced errors as the Estonian claimed his first Top 20 win of the season in just 53 minutes.
The next step for Kontaveit will be former world No.1 Angelique Kerber. Three-time main champion Kerber started her campaign in Doha with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Cagla Buyukakcay.
Kerber is another former finalist in Doha. She reached the league game in 2014. Kerber had to come back from a 1-4 deficit in the first set before stopping the Turkish wildcard.
Maria Sakkari also qualified for the second round, beating Mayar Sherif, 6-0, 6-3.
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