Svitolina Eyes Maiden Falcon Trophy
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Sport TUESDAY 2 MARCH 2021 World'sW best get set for Katara show WeW are making best preparations for the competing athletes aand officials like we have done over the years despite facing unprecedentedu challenges due to the ongoing pandemic. This eevent will be another step for the QSA towards staging ssuccessful FINA World Championships in 2023. KhaleelK Al Jabir QQSA President Sport |09 NBA: Lakers 117 - Warriors 91; Celtics 111 - Wizards 110; Bucks 105 - Clippers 100; Hornets 127 - Kings 126; Suns 118 - Timberwolves 99 Svitolina eyes maiden Falcon Trophy FAWAD HUSSAIN gameme in eacheach just to play any tournaments that are THE PENINSULA match,”atch,” sheshe toldtold a on the calendar.” videodeo conference.conference. On her partnership with two-time Elina Svitolina, a regular visitor to “I alwaysalways like to I reallyreally lovelove thisthis Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka Doha, has won a number of matches playay here in Doha. in Doha, she said: “We played a couple at the Khalifa International Tennis & Thisis year is a bitbit trophy. I’m reallyreally sad of times before, and we are friends. I Squash Complex but the Ukrainian is differentferent because I thatthat I don’tdon’tth haveave it in think it’s nice to play with someone still missing the golden Falcon Trophy thinknk the surfacesurface isis a with who you feel comfortable.” in her collection. bit differentdifferent becausebecause my collectioncollection yety Svitolina will start her singles cam- The World No.5 in the past edi- theyey made it for the fforor becausebecause it’s oneo paign in Qatar Total Open with a tions has reached the quarter-finals Australianstralian Open quali-quali- second round match after getting a bye. and the semi-finals of the Qatar Total fiers,rs, so it’s, yeah,yeah, it’s dif-dif- of the mmostost Doha conditions can be good Open but she did not go beyond that. ferentent but I’m happhappyy to be beautifulbeautiful for me: Pliskova However, this time around, the here,”re,” saidsaid Svitolina.Svitolina. Meanwhile, second seed Karolina 26-year-old, starting as a top seed, Svitolina,Svitolina, whowho was trophiestrophies ono Pliskova is hoping to get maximum has a good chance of lifting the Falcon onee of the main title thethe tour.tour. I’llI advantage of suitable conditions for Trophy. contendersntenders in lastlast her as she look to repeat her 2017 “I really love this trophy. I’m really month’sonth’s AustralianAustralian do mmyy bestbest to show in Doha, when she won the title sad that I don’t have it in my collection Openen fell to Amer-Amer- havehave this after defeating Caroline Wozniacki in yet because it’s one of the most beau- ica’s’s Jessica PePegulagula in the final. tiful trophies on the tour. I’ll do my thee fourthfourth round.round. TheThe trophytrophhy inin mym “Of course I still have memories best to have this trophy in my col- Ukrainianrainian said she collection.colleection from couple years back when I won lection,” Svitolina told reporters hass movedmoved on fromfrom the title here,” the Czech said yesterday. thee disappointingdisappointing yesterday. The top seed, however, said she lossss to focusfocus on ElinaElina SvitolinaSvito “I think the conditions here are will have to be at her best in the tour- futureure titles.titles. quite, they can be good for me. It’s a nament in presence of good players “I was playingplaying TopTop seedseed little bit slower. I like that. Of course including World No.6 Karolina reallyally good in thethe can be windy, but let’s see what it’s Pliskova, defending champion and beginningginning at gonna be on my match day,” she No.8 Aryna Sabalenka, and No.10 Australianu stralian added. Petra Kvitova, the three winners in Openen andand I The World No.6 is likely to meet the past four years in Doha. wasas feelinfeelingg Tunisian star Ons Jabeur in the second “Last year was a bit tough for me reallya l ly round, against whom she lost in Doha in these two tournaments - Dubai and good.od. I last year. Doha. I was not in the right mindset. wasas diddid not play that to focus on my game. But still, it’s quite “She’s ( Jabeur) a tough opponent, I was not feeling good on the court. reallyally sadsad matchmatch wellw but I have sad to play without fans. It was especially here. I don’t know if there Now this year is a different story. I feel thatat I couldn’tcouldn’t go furtherfurther thanthan thethe toto move fforward,”orward,” sshehe said. amazing to get few matches in Aus- is gonna be some crowd. Last year was that I have a good chance to play well, fourthurth round. round I think I could go much Speaking on the COVID-19 C pro- tralia with the crowd. In general, I quite, you know, tough. The crowd but anyway, there are lots of good further, and for sure my goal was to tocols becoming a new norm in tennis would say it’s not easy, but, we are here was a little bit brutal and noisy,” players and I have to bring my best win the tournament. Unfortunately, I events, Svitolina said yesterday: “I try playing tournaments. So I’m happy she said with a smile. TUESDAY 2 MARCH 2021 SPORT 11 Seeds Bertens and Brady fall on first day of Qatar Total Open Muguruza, Azarenka advance in Doha Today's Order FAWAD HUSSAIN WTA Qatar Total Open Results THE PENINSULA of Play Women's Singles Centre Court Qualification Starts at 02:30PM Former World No.1 Garbine Muguruza Kristyna Pliskova (7), Czech Republic, def. Cristina Bucsa, Spain, 6-2, 6-2. sealed a straight-set win over Veronika Round of 32 Jessica Pegula (1), United States, def. Misaki Doi (8), Japan, 6-2, 6-2. Kudermetova 6-2, 7-6 to sail into the Q. Wang (CHI) vs J. Pegula Laura Siegemund (2), Germany, def. Lesia Tsurenko, Ukraine, 7-6 (4), 6-4. second round of Qatar Total Open that got (USA) under way at the Khalifa International Anna Blinkova (6), Russia, def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States, 6-2, 6-3. FOLLOWED BY Tennis and Squash Complex, yesterday. Round of 32 O. Jabeur (TUN) vs A. The opening day’s action also saw fifth Anett Kontaveit, Estonia, def. Jennifer Brady (7), United States, 6-1, 6-2. Blinkova (RUS) seed Kiki Bertens and seventh seed Jen- Garbine Muguruza, Spain, def. Veronika Kudermetova, Russia, 6-2, 7-6 (4). nifer Brady falling at first hurdles. Two- Angelique Kerber, Germany, def. Cagla Buyukakcay, Turkey, 6-4, 6-2. NOT BEFORE 6:00 PM time Qatar Total Open champion Victoria Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Kiki Bertens (5), Netherlands, 6-0, 6-2. M. Keys (USA) vs B. Bencic Azarenka and three-time Grand Slam Maria Sakkari, Greece, def. Mayar Sherif, Egypt, 6-0, 6-3. (SUI) (6) winner Angelique Kerber also advanced Victoria Azarenka (8), Belarus, def. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia, 6-2, 6-3. FOLLOWED BY after winning their matches. S. Zheng (CHN) vs M. Doi Garbine Muguruza Muguruza, the 2018 Doha finalist, No pressure on Anastasia Myskina (2003, 2004), Maria (JPN) claimed a 1 hour 45 minute-win over World of Spain hits defending champion Sharapova (2005, 2008) and Azarenka No.34 Kudermetova to set up a mouth- a return shot Sabalenka (2012, 2013) won the titles in Doha twice. to Veronika Court A watering clash with defending champion Earlier yesterday, Speaking on her defeat to 23-times Starts at 02:30 PM Aryna Sabalenka. Kudermetova of Sabalenka said being the Grand Slam winner Serena Williams at Round of 32 “Good match ahead. I think we only Russia during their defending champion in Australia Open last month, the feisty player E. Rybakina (KAZ) vs L. played once. I feel like it was a long time Qatar Total Open the tournament doesn’t said: “I felt like I missed my opportunity ago,” Muguruza said of her second round Round of 32 match make much difference because I feel like if you are coming back Siegemund (GER) match against the Belarusian. played at the for her. from 1-4 and you’re kind of feeling your K. Pliskova (CZE) vs A. Khalifa International “I think she’s (Sabalenka) playing great. “I’m defending game and you’re there, you’re fighting, you Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) Tennis and Squash Last year and this year I saw she’s winning champion but still I feel just have to take this opportunity.” Round of 16 Complex, yesterday. titles and playing good tennis. I’m excited there is nothing to lose, “I felt like mentally I was a little bit up L. Siegemund (GER), E. to face these top players. I feel like every and, I’ll just go for it and and she was down. Yeah, and also on the Vesnina (RUS) vs V. Azarenka match is hard,” the Spaniard, who is making “I didn’t really know what to expect in do everything I can. So it’s not a big dif- first set I didn’t take my serve. Same situ- (BLR), E. Svitolina (UKR) her sixth straight appearance in Doha, this match today. You know, I think the ference compared to last year,” the Bela- ation in the third set. I would say it was like Round of 16 added. score might make it seem a little easier than rusian told reporters yesterday. not really smart mistakes from me. Yeah, L. Hradecka (CZE), K. Pliskova Dutch star Bertens, playing her first it was.