New Delhi: World No. 10 Paula Badosa defeated Lulu Sun 6-3, 6-4 in her opening match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Sunday, needing only three breaks to win her opening match in two sets.
The ninth seed Spaniard Badosa beat will next play against Belgium’s Elise Mertens, who beat Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-2 6-2 at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre.
Meanwhile, 2019 winner in Dubai Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic brushed aside 20-year-old Japanese qualifier Aoi Ito 6-0 6-2.
Wildcard entrant USA’s Sofia Keni, defeated 16th seed Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-5 6-3 to advance to the second round.
Anisimova on Cloud Nine
Amanda Anisimova beat six top 40 players to win her first WTA 1000 title after wining the Qatar Open in Doha.
“There’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of tears. This week has been amazing, super special,” Anisimova said during the trophy presentation.
“It’s been a great week with a lot of great tennis. I’m definitely going into the next hard-court tournaments with some confidence and a little bit of relief that I know I can play at this high level day after day.
“I’m looking forward to the next three tournaments — Dubai, Indian Wells and Miami — which are really favourable from my end.”
Beaten finalist in Doha, Jelena Ostapenko was searching for her first WTA 1000 title, but her runner-up showing in her first final in 12 months helped turn around a difficult start to the season.
“I was working hard in the preseason, and I feel like a few matches like didn’t really go my way, but I was already very close in those matches,” Ostapenko said.
“I feel like now things are going more my way, and I’m more consistent on the court, and I’m just doing what I have to do and play aggressive.”
Spaniard Paula Badosa beat will face Belgium’s Elise Mertens in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
