Australian Open champion Kenin loses opening match in Dubai

Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin lost her opening match at the Dubai Championships on Tuesday as Elena Rybakina rallied to beat the American 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-3.

The fifth-seeded Kenin was playing her first WTA Tour event since earning her maiden Grand Slam title and then helping the United States reach the Fed Cup final. She broke Rybakina in her opening service game but the Kazakh player held serve the rest of the way to earn her third career win over a top-10 ranked player.

"I just made too many unforced errors. I just didn't take my chances," Kenin said. "I really thought I could have somehow turned it around. ... It's obviously really upsetting and disappointing at the moment."

Third-seeded Elina Svitolina and No. 4 Belinda Bencic also lost.

Svitolina was ousted 6-2, 6-1 by American Jennifer Brady, while Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova defeated Bencic 1-6, 6-1, 6-1.

China forfeits Davis Cup tie in Romania due to virus

China forfeited a Davis Cup tie on Tuesday because its men's tennis team cannot travel to Romania next month.

The International Tennis Federation cited "increased restrictions in response to the current coronavirus outbreak" for the decision.

China was to play in Piatra Neamt, Romania, on March 6-7 in a World Group I playoff.

The ITF said Romania will advance to a World Group I tie in September. China will drop into World Group II.

The death toll in mainland China due to the virus named COVID-19 had risen to almost 1,900 on Tuesday, with more than 72,000 confirmed cases.

The outbreak has caused numerous sports events in China to be cancelled, postponed, or moved, and has affected the ability of Chinese teams to travel for competition.

Spain's Verdasco out of Rio Open, 3rd seed Garin advances

Spain's Fernando Verdasco was eliminated by Pablo Andujar in the first round of the Rio Open on Monday. The 36-year-old Verdasco lost 6-3, 6-3 to his countryman. Top seed and Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem of Austria will play his first match on Tuesday against Brazilian Felipe Meligeni Alves.

Third seeded Christian Garin of Chile advanced with a 4-6, 7-5, 76 (5) victory over Andrej Martin of Slovakia. Garin will face Argentine Federico Delbonis on Wednesday for a place in the quarterfinals of the clay court tournament.

Delbonis won 6-2, 6-4 against Spaniard Roberto Carballés Baena.

Japan's Nishioka rallies past Millman at Delray Beach Open

Yoshihito Nishioka rallied past No. 5-seeded John Millman 3-6, 64, 6-2 on the opening day of the Delray Beach Open on Monday.

It was Millman's first match since a wrenching loss to Roger Federer at the Australian Open last month.

Wild card Ryan Harrison of the United States joined Nishioka in the second round by beating Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-2. No. 7seeded Adrian Mannarino rallied past Soonwoo Kwon 1-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Top-seeded Nick Kygrios plays his opening match Tuesday.

Clijsters loses to Muguruza on return to WTA Tour

Kim Clijsters' first WTA Tour match since 2012 ended with a 62, 7-6 (6) loss to Garbine Muguruza at the Dubai Championships on Monday.

The 36-year-old Clijsters is making a second comeback — this time after more than seven years away from professional tennis — but was broken in the opening game against Muguruza, a fellow former No. 1.

Muguruza broke again for a 5-2 lead and was two breaks up at 3-0 in the second set before Clijsters found her stride. The Belgian leveled the set at 4-4 but Muguruza then converted her second match point in the tiebreaker.

"I had a good feeling out there," Clijsters said. "Second set, I felt I was really in the match."

The four-time Grand Slam champion announced in September that she was returning to the tour for a second time. She initially retired in 2007, got married and had the first of her three children. She returned about two years later and won her second and third U.S. Opens and an Australian Open. She retired again after the 2012 U.S. Open.

"I felt like for a while I was dominating some of the points," Clijsters said about her match.

"I think that's a good feeling to have, knowing the way I started the first set and then the way I was able to get back into that second set, with the type of tennis I played, it's something that is the positive about this match. I'll take that with me for the next matches."

Muguruza will play either Veronika Kudermetova or Dayana Yastremska in the next round.

"I think this is just special because I didn't know how (Clijsters was) going to play," Muguruza said. "I'm sure she's going to get better and better, for sure, give us a lot of trouble."

Barbora Strycova and Elise Mertens also advanced.

Strycova ousted Amanda Anisimova of the United States 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4 and Mertens eased past Wang Qiang of China 6-3, 6-0.