‘It’d be surprising if she didn’t win at least 2, 3, 4 more’ – McEnroe on Sabalenka
Victoria Azarenka eased into the Dubai Open second round with a comfortable 6-2 6-4 victory over Arantxa Rus.
The 34-year-old prevailed after a mere one hour and 20 minutes of play in the United Arab Emirates, and sets up a tantalising second-round clash against world No.4 Elena Rybakina.
Azarenka immediately set her stall out by breaking the Dutchwoman’s serve in the opening game, and did so again in the seventh to move 5-2 ahead.
She followed that up with an emphatic hold to love and move halfway towards victory after only 33 minutes of play.
Rus acquitted herself better in the second set, responding in fine fashion to break back against the Russian after surrendering on her serve again to draw level at 2-2.
But Azarenka’s class eventually told, as she broke the Rus serve for a fourth time and took a comfortable hold to 15 to seal a place in round two.
Meanwhile, Petra Martic ground out a superb 6-4 7-6 (4) win over Caroline Dolehide to book her place in the second round.
The Croatian prevailed in just under two hours, beating an American ranked 16 places higher in the WTA singles rankings at 45th.
Dolehide was forced to swat away two break points in an opening game that she eventually held after going to deuce four times.
However, Martic managed to break through her serve in the seventh game to go 4-3 up, and wrapped up the first set with a hold to 30.
The 33-year-old showed admirably resilience after being broken in the second game of a closely-contested second set, before impressive winning the second set tie-break 7-4.
Martic will now face Magdalena Frech in the second round on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Canadian Leylah Fernandez made relatively light work of American qualifier Bernarda Pera with a 6-3 6-2 first-round win.
The 29-year-old acquitted herself relatively well in the opening four games, but was left to rue surrendering three break-point opportunities as Fernandez moved 3-2 in front.
Fernandez would then break the Canadian for the first time to increase her lead, ahead of wrapping up the set on her serve at 6-3.
The second set began in a pulsating fashion with five consecutive breaks of serve, as Fernandez took a 3-2 lead before Pera was broken again to swing momentum firmly in favour of the world No.33.
The 21-year-old secured the match on her first set point, and will face Italian Jasmine Paolini on Tuesday.
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