Bend it like Brady
Jennifer stuns third-seed Svitolina in Dubai
Dubai, Feb. 18: Elina Svitolina's bad run in the WTA circuit continued, as she surrendered to qualifier Jennifer Brady in her opening round match at Dubai Tennis Championships 2-6, 1-6 on Tuesday.
The American Brady pushed herself while playing top-ten players. It was Barty’s first WTA match of the 2020 season.
The first set was a straight forward one with the American Brady leading with a break. While serving to stay in the set at 5-2, the erroneous tennis from the two-time Dubai champion Elina Svitolina led her nowhere. Brady pulled off the set 62 with ease.
Brady played dominant tennis on her next service game and had two game points. But with Svitolina rising her level, and the first double fault from Brady gave the former champion break points. She came up with huge groundstrokes. And then a smart challenge aided her to get the first break of the match at 4-1.
Certainly, Brady couldn’t accept her service game loss to Svitolina. Producing exquisite shots and Svitolina committing unforced errors, the American avenged for her previous game loss and led by 5-1. While serving for the match, she swiftly converted the first match point with an ace and stunned the former champion.
Ons Jabeur beat Alison Riske 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 6-3 to earn a second-round date with top seed Simona Halep in the opening round of the WTA event in Dubai.
Tunisian Jabeur, ranked 45 in the world, saw off American Riske amid passionate home support for a player who trains in Dubai.
Barbora Strycova turned a corner after a poor start this season as she defeated Amanda Anisimova 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-4. Anisimova managed 43 winners but was weighed down by 67 unforced errors.
Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters says she is going to plough ahead with her tennis comeback despite losing her return match 62, 7-6 (8/6) to Garbine Muguruza.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Clijsters, 36, had been out of the game for seven years before the clash with Muguruza, who reached the final of the Australian Open last month, and is keen to push ahead after an encouraging display against the world number 16 Spaniard.
“I had a good feeling out there, I felt a pace I can handle. I felt like I was able to go toe-to-toe with her from the baseline,” said Clijsters.
“I wouldn’t have done this if I didn't have that belief somehow. It might take 10 matches to get the way I played in the second set, might take me 10 matches to get that from start to finish. I have patience. I’m going to work my way into it and fight,” she added. — AFP
I’m so grateful for the crowd, they really gave me energy. It feels like home here. Alison is tough she made me run everywhere, I was down in the second set but got it back in the third. — ONS JABEUR, after defeating Alison Riske 7-6 (7/3), 1-6, 6-3, to earn a second-round match with top seed Simona Halep