Garbine Muguruza of Spain returns the ball to Russia's Daria Kasatkina during their Round of 64 match of the Qatar Total Open at the Khalifa Tennis Complex in Doha, yesterday. Muguruza won 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
Grand Slam stars Garbine Muguruza of Spain and Russian tennis veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova yesterday kicked off their Qatar Total Open campaigns with contrasting wins at the Khalifa Tennis Complex.
Muguruza, winner of the 2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon, needed three sets to down Daria Kasatkina, 22, of Russia. Muguruza won 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in two hours and 49 minutes on Center Court.
It was the third win for Muguruza over Kasatkina in five Tour meetings. Muguruza fired six aces in her three-set battle.
Earlier in the day, two-time Grand Slam champion Kuznetsova eased past Turkey’s Cagla Buyukakcay 6-2, 6-2 in 81 minutes.
Kuznetsova, winner of 2004 US Open and 2009 French Open, fired three aces in her convincing win on the Center Court. Kuznetsova broke Buyukakcay in the third and fifth games of the first set and then in the first and fifth of the second set to seal her easy win.
The 34-year-old Russian said yesterday: “Well, I should ask my coach how happy he is with this win (smiles). He looked happy that I played well. I had ups and down but I am in better in shape now. I missed (playing in) Qatar. It is a nice event. I have great memories here. I am glad to be back in Doha. I am taking one match at a time. I am looking at my next opponent only. I feel good.”
In another one-sided match yesterday, defending champion Elise Mertens made short work of China’s Wang Qiang. Mertens, who beat Simona Halep of Romania in last year’s final in Doha, yesterday won 6-1, 6-2. The Belgian star won in 64 minutes with three aces in her easy win of the $3.2m event.
Mertens said: “A lot of great players (are) playing (in) this tournament. I don’t really look at the draw so I only know my next opponent and I think it’s important just to play match by match. So, yeah, it’s going to be very difficult to defend, but you know there’s always a chance to and I’m going to try to play the best I can. And, yes, I practice at the Kim Clijsters Academy. She’s back on Tour. I have practiced with her already, but it’s mostly my coach who gives me the advice and my team. It’s very important for me just to be focusing on myself.”
Mertens said she was pleased to be playing in Doha again.
“It’s always nice to go back when you did well the year before and it’s always a great feeling to be back. And the hotel has changed but for the rest everything is pretty the same. But I like it here and I think the courts suit me. I just like to be here, I am happy to be back,” Mertens said.
With Simona Halep of Romania pulling out of the seven-day tournament, each of the top nine seeds have received a first round bye.
World No.1 Ashleigh Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina, Sofia Kenin, Kiki Bertens, Petra Kvitova and Aryna Sabalenka are some of the big names who will be aiming to put their hands on the trophy in Doha.
WTA Qatar Total Open
Round of 64
Elise Mertens (16), Belgium, def. Wang Qiang, China, 6-1, 6-2.
Karolina Muchova, Czech Republic, def. Magda Linette, Poland, 6-3, 6-1.
Laura Siegemund, Germany, def. Yaroslava Shvedova, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-2.
Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia, def. Cagla Buyukakcay, Turkey, 6-2, 6-2.
Veronika Kudermetova, Russia, def. Kristina Mladenovic, France, 7-6 (6), 0-6, 6-3.
Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, def. Priscilla Hon, Australia, 6-2, 6-4.
Bernarda Pera, United States, def. Caroline Garcia, France, 6-3, 6-1.
Alison van Uytvanck, Belgium, def. Polona Hercog, Slovenia, 6-2, 6-2.
Garbine Muguruza (11), Spain, def. Daria Kasatkina, Russia, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3.
Amanda Anisimova, United States, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova, Russia, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
