Ostapenko Packs Off Bertens, Muguruza Moves Into 2Nd Round Twice Champion Azarenka, Former Finalist Kerber Also Move up Agencies Doha
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Asian and European qualifiers a new challenge for Qatar: Sanchez PAGE 13 TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 2021 Djokovic equals Federer’s AMIR ATTENDS OPENING DAY’S ACTION AT QATAR TOTAL OPEN world number one record AGENCIES by temporary changes to the ranking system because of the NOVAK Djokovic has equalled coronavirus pandemic which Roger Federer’s record of 310 means players can currently weeks ranked as the tennis count tournaments from two world number one, reports years instead of one. bbc.com. However, he is still the The 33-year-old Serbian is in-form player on the men’s guaranteed to break the mark tour, beginning 2021 by win- next week. Djokovic won his ning nine consecutive matches 18th Grand Slam title and his while last year he did not lose ninth Australian Open crown a completed match until the in Melbourne last month. French Open final in October. “After achieving the histor- Djokovic’s fifth spell at ic number one for the longest the top of the rankings began weeks at number one, it’s go- on 3 February last and he has ing to be a relief for me because been number one for all but I’m going to focus all my atten- 32 weeks since Federer hit 310 tion on slams mostly,” he said. weeks in June 2018. His victory in Melbourne His longest stint as num- takes him to two wins behind ber one was 122 weeks be- the joint holders of the men’s tween July 2014 and Novem- Grand Slam record, Federer ber 2016. and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic sits on 12,030 Djokovic has been helped points - more than 2,000 clear of Rafael Nadal, with Daniil Medvedev and Dominic Thi- em the only other players with more than 7,000 points. However, he still trails the women’s number one record holder Steffi Graf who held top spot for 377 weeks, while Martina Navratilova (332) and Serena Williams (319) have His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attended part of the opening day action of the 19th Qatar Total Open 2021 at the Khalifa International Tennis and also had longer spells at num- Squash Complex on Monday. HH the Amir witnessed the match between Spain’s Garbine Muguruza and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova. The match was also attended by a number Novak Djokovic. ber one than Djokovic. of their excellencies, guests of the competitions, and tennis fans, amidst precautionary measures taken to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). (QNA) Ostapenko packs off Bertens, Muguruza moves into 2nd round Twice champion Azarenka, former finalist Kerber also move up AGENCIES DOHA THE Qatar Total Open began on Monday with two-time champion Victoria Azarenka and former finalists Jelena Ostapenko, Garbine Mugu- ruza and Angelique Kerber all prevailing in their opening- round matches. Ostapenko, who was the Doha runner-up in her tour- nament debut in 2016, eased past No.5 seed Kiki Bertens 6-0, 6-2. The 2017 Roland Garros champion, Ostapenko put Former finalist Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia waves at the centre court after her win over Kiki Bertens of the Spaniard Garbine Muguruza in action during her opening round match at the Qatar Total Open against on a command performance Netherlands at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha on Monday. Russian Veronika Kudermetova on Monday. against Bertens, collecting her 21st career win against a Top 20 opponent. Results Tuesday Order of Play Ostapenko, who reached Singles 6-,0 6-3 CENTRE COURT starts at 2:30 PM After suitable rest: L. Hradecka (CZE)/Kr. Pliskova the second WTA singles fi- Q3 - [1] J. Pegula (USA) bt [8] M. Doi (JPN) 6-2, R32 - A. Kontaveit (EST) bt [7] J. Brady (USA) Q. Wang (CHN) vs [Q] J. Pegula (USA) (CZE) vs [4] A. Blinkova (RUS)/G. Dabrowski nal of her career in Doha five 6-2 6-1, 6-2 O. Jabeur (TUN) vs [Q] A. Blinkova (RUS) (CAN) years ago, hit 26 winners to 19 Q3 - [2] L. Siegemund (GER) bt L. Tsurenko R32 - A. Kerber (GER) bt [WC] C. Buyukakcay NB 6:00 PM unforced errors, a sturdy ratio (UKR) 7-6(4), 6-4 (TUR) 6-4, 6-2 M. Keys (USA) vs [6] B. Bencic (SUI) COURT B starts at 2:30 PM Q3 - [6] A. Blinkova (RUS) bt B. Mattek-Sands R32 - [WC] J. Ostapenko (LAT) bt [5] K. Bertens S. Zheng (CHN) vs [LL] M. Doi (JPN) [3] S. Aoyama (JPN)/E. Shibahara (JPN) vs M. for her aggressive style of play. (USA) 6-2, 6-3 (NED) 6-0, 62 Niculescu (ROU)/J. Ostapenko (LAT) Bertens was playing in Q3 - [7] Kr. Pliskova (CZE) bt C. Bucsa (ESP) 6-2, 6-2 Doubles COURT A starts at 2:30 PM A. Guarachi (CHI)/D. Jurak (CRO) vs [2] N. her first match since having R32 - [WC] [8] V. Azarenka (BLR) bt S. R16 - [1] B. Krejcikova (CZE)/K. Siniakova (CZE) E. Rybakina (KAZ) vs [Q] L. Siegemund (GER) Melichar (USA)/D. Schuurs (NED) Achilles surgery at the end of Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-2, 6-3 bt S. Zheng (CHN)/L. Zhu (CHN) 5-7, 6-3, 10-3 [Q] Kr. Pliskova (CZE) vs A. Pavlyuchenkova After suitable rest B. mattek-Sands (USA) / J. Pegula 2020, a gap of five months in R32 - G. Muguruza (ESP) bt V. Kudermetova R16-A. Klepac (SLO)/S. Mirza (IND) bt L. (RUS) (USA) vs E. Rybakina (KAZ)/Y. Shvedova (KAZ) her play. The former World (RUS) 6-2, 7-6(4) Kichenok (UKR)/N. Kichenok (UKR) 6-4, 6-7(5), After suitable rest [WC] L. Siegemund (GER)/E. After suitable rest: K. Bertens (NED)/L. No.4 kept her first-serve per- R32 - M. Sakkari (GRE) bt [WC] M. Sherif (EGY) 10-5. Vesnina (RUS) vs V. Azarenka (BLR)/E. Svitolina Pattinama Kerkhove (NED) vs [WC] C. centage solid but her power- (UKR) Buyukakcay (TUR)/A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS). ful play resulted in only six winners on the day. in two sets.” to-back titles in Doha in Ostapenko zipped With her win, Muguruza 2012 and 2013, improved her second set was pivotal: Aza- partner Andreja Klepac dug in through the first set and sets up an intriguing second- head-to-head record against renka’s solid returning earned deep to overcame a challenge pulled away in the second Twice winner Victoria Azarenka exults after her opening round win round affair against No.3 seed Kuznetsova to 6-4 with her her a break for 3-2, and she from the Ukrainians Lyud- thanks to some cracking over two-time runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova on Monday. (PIC: WTA) and defending champion Ary- one-hour and 42-minute vic- fought off five break points in a myla Kichenok and Nadiia forehands for a 5-1 lead. na Sabalenka. tory. It was the first meeting protracted game to hold for 4-2 Kichenok in an absorbing tie. Bertens, though, converted 7-6(4). Muguruza, making her from serving out the match at “I think (Sabalenka is) between the two-time Grand and maintain her advantage. Sania and Klepac won the her first break-point opportu- sixth straight appearance in both 5-4 and 6-5. Muguruza playing great,” Muguruza said. Slam champions since their Azarenka missed three first set 6-4 after being 3-0 nity to thwart Ostapenko’s first the Doha main draw, reached stayed steely in the tiebreak, “Last year and this year I showdown in the 2016 Miami match points when serving down at the start. In the sec- chance to serve out the match. the final in 2018. finding strong drive volleys saw she’s winning titles and Open final, won by Azarenka. for the match at 6-2, 5-2, but ond it was 2-3 for them before But Ostapenko took control The Spaniard has been de- when it counted to push her playing good tennis. I’m ex- Azarenka converted three garnered the victory in the the Ukrainians swung it their in the next game, slamming a feated by only Top 30 players through to the second round. cited to face these top players.” of her four break points in the next game, converting her way winning in the tie break crosscourt backhand winner thus far in 2021. The two-time “Veronika was a very tough In the nightcap match, opening frame, which, at 44 sixth match point to break for 6-7 (5) and therby taking the to complete the match in just major champion kept that opponent,” Muguruza said in No.8 seed Azarenka ousted minutes, was lengthier than the win. match into the final set. 53 minutes. streak going with a 1-hour, her post-match press confer- two-time runner-up Svetlana the scoreline suggests. Kuznet- Sania and Klepac, howev- Former World No.1 Mu- 45-minute win against World ence. “Just happy with this Kuznetsova, 6-2, 6-3, to book sova nearly matched Azarenka Sania/Klepac bounce er, continued to fight keeping guruza also came up with No. 34 Kudermetova. win. We played a year ago, her spot in the second round in winners in the opener, but back to win up the pressure which yielded a straight-sets win, ousting In the second set, Kuder- and I remember it was a tough in Qatar. had five more unforced errors. In the doubles action, India’s results as they clinched the de- Veronika Kudermetova, 6-2, metova prevented Muguruza match. Happy to have closed it Azarenka, who won back- A two-game stretch in the Sania Mizra and her Slovakian cider 10-5.