Former finalists Jelena Ostapenko, Garbine Muguruza and Angelique Kerber all prevailed in their opening round matches at the Qatar Total Open on Monday. At the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex, Ostapenko, who was the runner-up in her tournament debut in 2016, eased past No. 5 seed Kiki Bertens 6-0, 6-2.
The 2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko put on a commanding performance against Bertens, collecting her 21st career win against a Top 20 opponent.
Ostapenko, who had reached her second WTA singles final in Doha five years ago, hit 26 winners to 19 unforced errors, a sturdy ratio for her aggressive style of play.
Bertens was playing in her first match since having an Achilles surgery at the end of 2020, a gap of five months in her play. The former World No.4 kept her first-serve percentage solid but her powerful play resulted in only six winners on the day.
Ostapenko zipped through the first set and pulled away in the second thanks to some cracking forehands for a 5-1 lead.
Bertens, though, converted her first break-point opportunity to thwart Ostapenko’s first chance to serve out the match. But Ostapenko took control in the next game, slamming a crosscourt backhand winner to complete the match in just 53 minutes.
“I think that the foot was fine today, so I think that didn’t affect me at all. But I didn’t have much match rhythm getting into this. I think Jelena was playing really well today,” Bertens said.
“I still have doubles here, so I’m really happy that at least I have another match here in Doha. Then I prepare as good as I can and go back to the practice courts, get the hours in and prepare as good as I can for Dubai next week,” she said.
Former World No.1 Muguruza also came up with a straight-sets win, ousting Veronika Kudermetova, 6-2, 7-6 (4). Muguruza, making her sixth straight appearance in the Doha main draw, had reached the final in 2018.
The Spaniard has been defeated by only Top 30 players thus far in 2021. The two-time major champion kept that streak going with a 1-hour, 45-minute win against World No.34 Kudermetova.
In the second set, Kudermetova prevented Muguruza from serving out the match at both 5-4 and 6-5. Muguruza stayed steely in the tiebreak, finding strong drive volleys when it counted to push her through to the second round.
"Veronika was a very tough opponent," Muguruza said in her post-match press conference. "Just happy with this win. We played a year ago, and I remember it was a tough match. Happy to have closed it in two sets."
With her win, Muguruza sets up an intriguing second-round affair against No.3 seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
"I think (Sabalenka is) playing great," Muguruza said.
"Last year and this year I saw she's winning titles and playing good tennis. I'm excited to face these top players."
RESULTS
First Round (Singles)
WC-V. Azarenka (BLR) bt S. Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-2, 6-3
G. Muguruza (ESP) bt V. Kudermetova (RUS) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
M. Sakkari (GRE) bt WC-M. Sherif (EGY) 6-0, 6-3
A. Kontaveit (EST) bt 7-J. Brady (USA) 6-1, 6-2
A. Kerber (GER) bt WC-C. Buyukakcay (TUR) 6-4, 6-2
WC-J. Ostapenko (LAT) bt 5-K. Bertens (NED) 6-0, 62
Round of 16 (Doubles)
1-B. Krejcikova (CZE)/K. Siniakova (CZE) bt S. Zheng (CHN)/L. Zhu (CHN) 5-7, 6-3, 10-3
A. Klepac (SLO)/S. Mirza (IND) bt L. Kichenok (UKR)/N. Kichenok (UKR) 6-4, 6-7 (5), 10-5
ORDER OF PLAY
CENTRE COURT starts at 02:30 PM
Q. Wang (CHN) vs Q-J. Pegula (USA)
O. Jabeur (TUN) vs Q-A. Blinkova (RUS)
Not before 6:00 PM
M. Keys (USA) vs 6-B. Bencic (SUI)
S. Zheng (CHN) vs M. Doi (JPN)
COURT A starts at 02:30 PM
E. Rybakina (KAZ) vs Q-L. Siegemund (GER)
Q-Kr. Pliskova (CZE) vs A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
After suitable rest
WC-L. Siegemund (GER)/E. Vesnina (RUS) vs V. Azarenka (BLR)/E. Svitolina (UKR)
L. Hradecka (CZE)/Kr. Pliskova (CZE) vs 4-A. Blinkova (RUS)/G. Dabrowski (CAN)
COURT B starts at 02:30 PM
3-S. Aoyama (JPN)/E. Shibahara (JPN) vs M. Niculescu (ROU)/J. Ostapenko (LAT)
A. Guarachi (CHI)/D. Jurak (CRO) vs 2-N. Melichar (USA)/D. Schuurs (NED)
After suitable rest
B. Mattek-Sands (USA) / J. Pegula (USA) vs E. Rybakina (KAZ)/Y. Shvedova (KAZ)
K. Bertens (NED)/L. Pattinama Kerkhove (NED) vs WC-C. Buyukakcay (TUR)/A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
The 2017 Roland Garros champion Ostapenko put on a commanding performance against Bertens, collecting her 21st career win against a Top 20 opponent.
Ostapenko, who had reached her second WTA singles final in Doha five years ago, hit 26 winners to 19 unforced errors, a sturdy ratio for her aggressive style of play.
Bertens was playing in her first match since having an Achilles surgery at the end of 2020, a gap of five months in her play. The former World No.4 kept her first-serve percentage solid but her powerful play resulted in only six winners on the day.
Ostapenko zipped through the first set and pulled away in the second thanks to some cracking forehands for a 5-1 lead.
Bertens, though, converted her first break-point opportunity to thwart Ostapenko’s first chance to serve out the match. But Ostapenko took control in the next game, slamming a crosscourt backhand winner to complete the match in just 53 minutes.
“I think that the foot was fine today, so I think that didn’t affect me at all. But I didn’t have much match rhythm getting into this. I think Jelena was playing really well today,” Bertens said.
“I still have doubles here, so I’m really happy that at least I have another match here in Doha. Then I prepare as good as I can and go back to the practice courts, get the hours in and prepare as good as I can for Dubai next week,” she said.
Former World No.1 Muguruza also came up with a straight-sets win, ousting Veronika Kudermetova, 6-2, 7-6 (4). Muguruza, making her sixth straight appearance in the Doha main draw, had reached the final in 2018.
The Spaniard has been defeated by only Top 30 players thus far in 2021. The two-time major champion kept that streak going with a 1-hour, 45-minute win against World No.34 Kudermetova.
In the second set, Kudermetova prevented Muguruza from serving out the match at both 5-4 and 6-5. Muguruza stayed steely in the tiebreak, finding strong drive volleys when it counted to push her through to the second round.
"Veronika was a very tough opponent," Muguruza said in her post-match press conference. "Just happy with this win. We played a year ago, and I remember it was a tough match. Happy to have closed it in two sets."
With her win, Muguruza sets up an intriguing second-round affair against No.3 seed and defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.
"I think (Sabalenka is) playing great," Muguruza said.
"Last year and this year I saw she's winning titles and playing good tennis. I'm excited to face these top players."
RESULTS
First Round (Singles)
WC-V. Azarenka (BLR) bt S. Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-2, 6-3
G. Muguruza (ESP) bt V. Kudermetova (RUS) 6-2, 7-6 (4)
M. Sakkari (GRE) bt WC-M. Sherif (EGY) 6-0, 6-3
A. Kontaveit (EST) bt 7-J. Brady (USA) 6-1, 6-2
A. Kerber (GER) bt WC-C. Buyukakcay (TUR) 6-4, 6-2
WC-J. Ostapenko (LAT) bt 5-K. Bertens (NED) 6-0, 62
Round of 16 (Doubles)
1-B. Krejcikova (CZE)/K. Siniakova (CZE) bt S. Zheng (CHN)/L. Zhu (CHN) 5-7, 6-3, 10-3
A. Klepac (SLO)/S. Mirza (IND) bt L. Kichenok (UKR)/N. Kichenok (UKR) 6-4, 6-7 (5), 10-5
ORDER OF PLAY
CENTRE COURT starts at 02:30 PM
Q. Wang (CHN) vs Q-J. Pegula (USA)
O. Jabeur (TUN) vs Q-A. Blinkova (RUS)
Not before 6:00 PM
M. Keys (USA) vs 6-B. Bencic (SUI)
S. Zheng (CHN) vs M. Doi (JPN)
COURT A starts at 02:30 PM
E. Rybakina (KAZ) vs Q-L. Siegemund (GER)
Q-Kr. Pliskova (CZE) vs A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)
After suitable rest
WC-L. Siegemund (GER)/E. Vesnina (RUS) vs V. Azarenka (BLR)/E. Svitolina (UKR)
L. Hradecka (CZE)/Kr. Pliskova (CZE) vs 4-A. Blinkova (RUS)/G. Dabrowski (CAN)
COURT B starts at 02:30 PM
3-S. Aoyama (JPN)/E. Shibahara (JPN) vs M. Niculescu (ROU)/J. Ostapenko (LAT)
A. Guarachi (CHI)/D. Jurak (CRO) vs 2-N. Melichar (USA)/D. Schuurs (NED)
After suitable rest
B. Mattek-Sands (USA) / J. Pegula (USA) vs E. Rybakina (KAZ)/Y. Shvedova (KAZ)
K. Bertens (NED)/L. Pattinama Kerkhove (NED) vs WC-C. Buyukakcay (TUR)/A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)