Ostapenko rolls at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship

Jelena Ostapenko had another comfortable match that pressed her forward at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships Tuesday. The champion from last year, dispatched Linda Fruhvirtova in straight sets 6-2, 6-0 on Court Three at the Dubai Tennis Stadium. The Latvian had her offense under control to keep her defense of the title alive.

The Latvian got the perfect matchup against Zavatska, beating her in straight sets to overshadow a 2019 loss to the Ukrainian. The defending champion found Fruhvirtova, who took down Danielle Collins 6-3, 6-4 in her first appearance in the draw. The Czech had a much larger obstacle in her way, knowing that a lot had to go wrong for the upset. Ostapenko’s return game was mid-successful in her opening round, despite recording eight aces. The pressure sat with the world number 20, who had a lot to prove to herself that she could potentially go back-to-back in Dubai.

Ostapenko broke Fruhvirtova in the opening game, due to a pair of double faults by the Czech. She recovered with a break back, holding serve in the third to consolidate against the defending champion. Ostapenko went to work in the fourth, putting together a strategy that pushed her forward through the remainder of the match. After holding the fourth, the Latvian watched Fruhvirtova suffer another double fault that broke her service.

Ostapenko held the Czech to a point in the sixth and broke her in the seventh on Fruhvirtova’s fourth double fault. It was smooth sailing for the Latvian, who held Fruhvirtova back a point to earn the first set in 31 minutes. She committed just one double fault, winning 71 percent on points from the first serve. Fruhvirtova’s second serve was nearly non-existent, scoring just one point out of 11 attempts.

Her attempts to get out of trouble were no match for the 25-year-old, who dictated a break to open the second set. She held Fruhvirtova to just two points through four games straight, achieving the double break. In the fifth, Ostapenko allowed her opponent one for the triple break before closing out the match on her terms. The Latvian coasted to victory, earning the bagel to secure her spot in the round of 16, taking 56 minutes to accomplish.

Victoria Azarenka wins in three sets at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship

Victoria Azarenka watched a forehand shot go across the net in her second round match with Amanda Anisimova at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship.

Victoria Azarenka fought back from a set down and took the American down with a hard-fought journey at the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships Tuesday. The world number 14 went to great lengths in the final set, beating Amanda Anisimova 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) on Court One at the Dubai Tennis Stadium.

The world number 14 earned her sixth match win over another tennis veteran, beating Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets. It was the first since 2019, giving her the perfect warm-up before facing the American. Anisimova went on a break after exiting early at the Australian Open, doing well to dispatch Vera Zvonareva in the first round. Holding a victory against Azarenka last year came on the clay courts, but with the 33-year-old playing comfortably on hard courts, she had the window open to dictate her skills in Dubai.

Azarenka started with a break of the American, allowing her a point from the service. Anisimova broke back overcoming a deficit and avoiding a lead for the former world number one. Securing a hold of her serve in the third gave her a moment to lead the set, but the world number 14 leveled back in the fourth with ease.

She scored the double break on Anisimova but was broken back due to the double faults that rolled in. Both had comfortable service games going toward the business end of the set. The ninth was the most competitive, with Azarenka forcing deuce and fighting for control through three breaks. Saving a breakpoint chance, Anisimova gained her second AD point attempt to gain the lead a third time.

The 33-year-old suffered double faults in the tenth game that allowed the American to dig in with the breakpoints and cap the set to her name in 45 minutes.  Azarenka tallied five double faults which sank her second serve to 33 percent.

Azarenka managed to make an improvement in the second, keeping the double faults silent. She targeted Anisimova on the returns that helped her break to love in the second for an early lead. The 21-year-old broke back and by the fifth, scoring a serve to love. They continued to tie one another through eight games, but the ninth went to the 33-year-old, who held Anisimova to a point for the double.

Overcoming a 15-40 gap, Azarenka saved two breakpoints, forced deuce, and held the first AD point played, forcing a decider after 43 minutes. Anisimova’s first serve struggled to get into gear, producing just 44 percent compared to Azarenka’s 70.

With the score even, the third was anyone’s to take and the fight for it went along those lines. The players had good service games to open the third set, but a battle ensued when Azarenka matched the American point for point. Both went seven breaks on Anisimova’s serve, where she saved three breakpoints from her opponent. Working hard to gain the AD point, it came after more than 10 minutes of action to give her the lead.

Putting so much effort into it, the American found a way to break Azarenka but suffered a break to love in the fifth. She quickly recovered, breaking back for the double only to suffer one herself. Each of them broke each other three consecutive times in the set, bringing the competition to a neck-and-neck race to the finish. Azarenka was first to hold serve, leading them to stay on pace till the tiebreak. It was in that moment the 33-year-old felt most comfortable, breaking Anisimova twice through five points. The 21-year-old fought back from 2-5 down, but the last two went to Azarenka, who watched Anisimova fall to the floor on a miscue from the forehand, ending 2 hours and 43 minutes.

The wind at times played a factor in shots across the court, but the service from Anisimova struggled enough to fade her early efforts in the match. The 33-year-old had her signature attack of cutting the ball to depend on, needing it for her round of 16 match against Madison Keys or Caroline Garcia.

Jessica Pegula snatches spot in last eight at Qatar Total Energies Open

Jessica Pegula celebrates her win over Jelena Ostapenko at the Qatar Total Energies Open. 

In a match that flipped and flopped, Jessica Pegula was the one who came out on top at the Qatar Total Energies Open Wednesday night. Jelena Ostapenko overcame a first-set defeat, took the second, and slipped late in the third to give the American a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 win on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Center.

The Latvian found a way to etch out a victory against Madison Keys, getting it in straight sets. The American wasn’t at her best on the day, snapping a three-match grip against Ostapenko. With her out of the picture, the world number four rose on the horizon of the 25-year-old. Pegula carries an 8-2 record after closing the Australian Open with a quarterfinal placement. With two weeks off, the American recovered to face the Latvian for the third time and second in Doha. With a victory on the courts of Doha two years back, the Buffalo native would push for another against Ostapenko to reach the round of 16 once more.

The American got her offense into action in a timely matter, dictating the first three games, with Ostapenko having troubles out of the block. With a double break in hand, Pegula consolidated with a hold to lead 4-0. Ostapenko got on the board, holding Pegula to a point for the service win.

Pegula made it 5-1 in the sixth, sitting a game down from the set. The Latvian dug out another good service game from her end, but it was a long hill to climb and Pegula refused to slip up. The 28-year-old rallied to three set points, winning it on her second attempt to end 27 minutes.

Things turned around for the Latvian, who served up a win, despite having to go to deuce to get it done. She battled against the American for a break that also went to deuce, needing two breaks for it. It was quickly a 3-0 hold for Ostapenko, who dug in well against Pegula to make it a competitive match. The American struck a win on her service in the fourth but continued to face a three-game deficit.

It was in the eighth that Ostapenko completed the comeback, breaking Pegula to love that forced the American to a decider after 35 minutes. It was in that set that the American had tallied four double faults and a bad return game that shuddered through her whole skill level. With a new outlook on the match, the Latvian went into the third set feeling confident in her efforts to upset the second set.

Ostapenko pulled off her first serve to love on the day, then broke Pegula in the second. She backed up the good start with a hold in the third, building up the gap against the American. Pegula answered in the fourth but suffered another shutout on Ostapenko’s second love service. Through the next three games, the competition wasn’t fierce, but the fire inside the Latvian remained.

Pegula had three games under her belt, holding Ostapenko twice from taking the match outright. She made it three in a row after the ninth, breaking the Latvian for the double and serving to level the score. Ostapenko had two match-point attempts in the tenth to dispatch the American, but mistakes cost her those opportunities. After four breaks, the second seed forced the match onward, setting up a battle in the 11th.

It was there that she got to deuce with Ostapenko until a challenge gave her the win on a wide shot from the Latvian. With a 6-5 lead and the chance to serve it out, Pegula made it an easy finish. Achieving two match points, the American sealed up the comeback, swiping back the win after a 1-hour and 52 minute tug of war.

Bencic scores big win in comeback over Azarenka at Qatar Total Energies Open

Belinda Bencic hits big with the forehand during her round of 16 match with Victoria Azarenka at the Qatar Total Energies Open.

Belinda Bencic made a strong comeback that kept her moving at the Qatar Total Energies Open Wednesday night. The Swiss overcame from a set down and 1-4 in the second set to defeat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 on Grandstand 1 court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.

It’s the battle of two strong players clashing in the early stages of the tournament, with Bencic hot off her recent win. Dispatching Viktoriya Tomova in under an hour gave her a sixth straight victory. Azarenka also won in quick fashion, taking down Ipek Oz in straight sets. Though the 33-year-old carried a 2-0 series lead, the two last faced off in 2019 when the Swiss teen retired. The former world number one hoped that she could ice the red-hot seventh seed.

Azarenka was first to act, bringing in her crosscourt attack that held Bencic off from pushing to deuce. In the second game, the seventh seed had Azarenka pushing twice, scoring the break. The 33-year-old had a smooth service in the third, taking a 3-0 lead on the Swiss powerhouse, who struggled to find a way through. Bencic continued fighting, but her skills to send Azarenka wide on the rallies didn’t work out.

She thought she had a break chance in the fifth up 40-15, but the former world number one saved two breaks to force deuce. Gaining the AD point, Azarenka scored the victory to be up 5-0. Bencic served to keep the set going, yet suffered her second double fault. Despite the miscue on serve, the seventh seed etched out a victory to avoid the bagel. Azarenka was back in the driver’s seat in the seventh, shutting out the Swiss star, who threw her racket in response ending 33 minutes of action in the set.

After taking a few minutes off the court, Bencic returned to serve the second set. Getting out front remained difficult for the reigning Olympic champion as Azarenka found a way to force deuce and seal up a break. She comfortably consolidated in the second, making it clear to the seventh seed, that it would be a tough day to overturn the score. Bencic held serve in the third to avoid another path like the first, but the fourth went to Azarenka, who was up 3-1.

The fifth game was the most competitive as Bencic had some shots that challenged Azarenka, but the 33-year-old had time to send back the return. They played just three breaks, and the former world number one came out with the victory. Bencic returned the favor, breaking back in the sixth, with the sense that a change of pace was occurring for the seventh seed. She managed to hold serve in the seventh, putting her a game down from the 33-year-old.

Things started to go wrong for Azarenka, who found herself double-faulting a second time on serve in the match. She opened the door for Bencic to sit with a break chance which she clinched on a long return from Azarenka, making it four-all. The seventh seed made her first move to lead the set, coming from behind on serve to force deuce and get the AD point on the second break.

The 33-year-old rallied to level, holding Bencic to a point in the tenth. The Swiss star responded with a terrific hold in the 11th, allowing Azarenka a single point. The attempt to force a third set was stopped by the 33-year-old, who held her side of the court. With a tiebreak left, the two players went all-out, with Bencic leading the way through the first four points. The Swiss star stayed well ahead of her opponent, reaching set point at 6-3. Azarenka handed Bencic set point on a double fault that brought a decider into play after 77 minutes.

The seventh seed improved on her first serve percentage as well as getting more points from both sides of the service. Azarenka’s second serve let her own, taking damage from Bencic that led to her lead being erased and fighting on every point to stay close. Bencic had other plans for the third set, breaking Azarenka to start the final stanza. She consolidated for a 2-0 lead, but it didn’t come easy as the 33-year-old hung in there to force deuce.

The fire calmed down between the players as each of them produced comfortable service holds through the next four games. Bencic still held a game up on Azarenka through seven, increasing her lead with a hold of serve. Azarenka fought to grab another win under her belt, sitting one game from tying the set. The seventh seed had a chance to go for the match on serve, doing so on a long ball from Azarenka that brought a close to a hard fight that took 2 hours and 42 minutes.

Bencic dominates against Tomova at Qatar Total Energies Open

Belinda Bencic celebrates a point in her opening round match with Viktoriya Tomova at the Qatar Total Energies Open. 

Belinda Bencic notched her 13th win in stunning fashion at the Qatar Total Energies Open Tuesday night. The seventh seed won 20 of the last 22 points played that dispatched Viktoriya Tomova in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.

The two met in the first round of the Australian Open where Bencic handled the match with precision, winning in straight sets. Since then, the Swiss took a break and went into Abu Dhabi, capturing the title last week. She returned for her fifth appearance, hoping to keep up her record of 12-2 and make a run for another WTA championship. Tomova went into Linz but didn’t get deep into the main draw. She left for Doha, playing qualifications to set up her second meeting with the seventh seed.

Bencic dug her path in the set, holding Tomova back on serve, then breaking her in the second where the Bulgarian only notched a point. Tomova gave it her all to challenge Bencic to the brink in third. She traded points with the seventh seed until a break chance came to her end of the court. A miscue forced the score to deuce where they spanned three breaks. Tomova had two more breakpoint opportunities, but Bencic denied her opponent and made it a 3-0 deficit.

She responded with the double break and took a commanding 5-0 stand in the set, closing in on the match lead. Tomova gave it one more push to remain in control of her service, but the seventh seed turned the tables late in the sixth to force an error on the final rally and win the shutout in 28 minutes. Despite having two double-faults, her nine winners took care of holding Tomova back, who was outscored 28-15.

The Bulgarian knew that she couldn’t suffer another bagel at the hands of the seventh seed, following Bencic in the second set. Overcoming a 40-0 deficit on serve, Tomova battled for the AD point four times before she locked it down to level early. Bencic had some issues from the second serve but held things together in the third to regain the lead.

She coasted along to another two games, breaking Tomova to love and serving to love for a 4-1 lead. Another break to love made it 5-1 for the seventh seed, who served a quick finish for the Bulgarian. Giving up one point was no problem for Bencic, who reached match point before delivering a crosscourt winner on the line to dominate in just under an hour.  

“I’m really happy with the tennis I’m playing this year,” said Bencic after her match. “I feel like it's clicking well and fighting hard for every point, and hopefully it's going to continue like that.” With a 13-2 record, Victoria Azarenka will be next to challenge her skills in their fight to step ahead in Doha.

Ostapenko captures first match win over Madison Keys to move on at Qatar Total Energies Open.

Jelena Ostapenko in action against Madison Keys at the Qatar Total Energies Open. 

Jelena Ostapenko delivered an outstanding beating to Madison Keys at the Qatar Total Energies Open Tuesday. The Latvian had everything going right with her offense which gave her a much-needed win over the American, winning 7-5, 6-2 on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex. Second-serve returns were a struggle for Keys, who didn’t have her dominant form in place, ending a winning streak in the middle east.

The American held a 3-1 lead over the Latvian, winning their last meeting in Cincinnati in straight sets. Keys carried a grip over Ostapenko, despite her retirement in Eastbourne that same year, retiring due to injury. This season, the American put together a long streak of wins through the United Cup but didn’t fare well in Melbourne. Ostapenko made it to a major quarterfinal since Wimbledon 2018, making it a push for her this time. Despite the dominance of her opponent, the 25-year-old had her ways of pushing through in a match, due to her semifinal finish last year in Doha.

Keys led the way at the opening of the match, holding serve and attaching a break of Ostapenko to it. Consolidating for a 3-0 lead was no picnic despite the 40-0 jump. Ostapenko rallied from the deficit to force deuce, but the AD point was difficult to attain. She moved into the fourth, holding serve, and broke back in the fifth in the shape of an AD point on deuce. She evened the score, despite her first double fault.

Keys denied the Latvian another step ahead on the scoreboard, becoming a competitive competition for control. Ostapenko put together a break chance but erred setting up deuce. The two went five breaks until Keys held it to lead 4-3. Ostapenko committed her second double fault, but that was small potatoes due to her focus to level the score back.

The set continued to see-saw in the business end, with Ostapenko leveling the score at five-all tallying a third double-fault from her end. She gained an important break on the count of Keys suffering a bad service game in the 11th, opening the door to take the set. The 25-year-old dictated the service, setting up three set points and putting the first away with a winner. It took 50 minutes for Ostapenko to get an edge on the American, winning 64 percent of points over the 53 from Keys. Though her winners to unforced errors were close, the winners were the high point that helped her edge late in the set.

The second got underway, with each player swiftly completing their service games. Ostapenko had the 2-1 lead when she pulled off a break to love in the third, consolidating it with a hold. In the fifth, she questioned one of the linesmen for a call but didn’t pursue it further. Keys went on to capture the hold of service, keeping within reach of leveling the set. The 25-year-old had other plans, holding Keys to love while serving, jumping to a two-game gap.

Ostapenko broke the American in a key moment, scoring the break on a crosscourt return that put her on serve for the match. Feeling a lot of comfort in her game, the 25-year-old handled the pressures of closing out the first round with a crosscourt shot ending 1 hour and 17 minutes on the court. “Today was a really tough match, and she’s such a great player,” said Ostapenko during her on-court interview. “She was serving pretty well at the beginning of the match, but I was fighting, and I think I found my game at the game and played a little better.” “I was trying not to give her any free points because I knew she is a great player and hits the ball really hard.” She won't be the last American who gives her a challenge on center court, as she faces Jessica Pegula in the second round Wednesday.

Azarenka returns to Doha in strong performance at Qatar Totalenergies Open

Victoria Azarenka clenches her first to celebrate a point won during her round one match with Ipek Oz at the Qatat Totalenergies Open.

Victoria Azarenka shined bright to take down the competition at the Qatar Total energies Open Monday night. The former world number one handled Ipek Oz on center court winning 6-1, 6-1 at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex

The two-time champion from a decade back returned to Doha after a six-year absence from the venue. Though she hasn’t had much consistent success early this season, Azarenka’s run in Adelaide and making the Australian Open semifinals was a great start to January. Oz made another stamp to her WTA career by facing a former world number one and entering her fifth main draw appearance with a wildcard. In her second run in the Qatari capital, the Turkish player faced a challenge against the 33-year-old as well as thoughts of her country still in peril.

Azarenka was first to serve and managed a shutout over the 23-year-old. Oz got on the board with a hold in the second, but the control went back into the hands of the tennis veteran. The 33-year-old scored her second blank on the Turkish player, and earn the first break of serve in the fourth. She added two more for a commanding 5-1 stand, serving to try and close out the first set. Oz couldn’t handle the pace Azarenka brought to the score and took the match lead after 30 minutes. The former number one landed 12 winners that silenced the return game of the Turkish star.

Azarenka handled the opening serve of Oz in the second set, allowing her a point in the game before gaining the break. The 33-year-old consolidated and scored the double break swiftly. Just when it looked as if it would continue one way, Oz stabbed out a win for the break back, getting ahead on the scoreboard in the fourth. Azarenka brushed off the short defeat and delivered a third shutout for the 4-1 lead.

She continued her march, sealing another victory from the service, giving Oz one last chance to change the strong tide. The 23-year-old made some early mistakes that allowed Azarenka to take control of the game and put herself in place for match point. A return fell wide of the tramlines and then the 11-shot rally for the next point gave Oz another shot at holding serve. It was the first game to go to deuce, but after three match points lost, Azarenka got it done and dusted. She denied Oz an AD point and clinched the round-one victory in one hour and seven minutes.