Tennis News

DUBAI, UAE – German wildcard Mona Barthel put on a strong display to kick off the first night session of this year’s Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, knocking out former World No.1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-1, 6-3. Top seed Angelique Kerber looms in the next round.

“I think I played a really good match,” she said after the match. “Jelena’s a really good player so it’s always tough to play against her. I’m just really grateful that I got the wildcard to even have the opportunity to play here.”

A former World No.23, Barthel spent most of 2016 dealing with a serious of illnesses and injuries, causing her to fall out of the Top 100. She kickstarted the new year with a run to the fourth round of the Australian Open – her career-best result at a major tournament – and brought her signature firepower to Dubai, rolling past the Serb in just under an hour.

“I just went out there wanting to enjoy it. I think I served well and played an aggressive match from the beginning, so that helped a lot.”

Absolutely brilliant from Barthel! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/kdT1GfjOkY

— WTA (@WTA) February 19, 2017

Jankovic herself suffered through an injury-addled 12 months, and the lack of matches was evident from the 2008 US Open finalist, who hit an uncharacteristic 28 unforced errors to just nine winners. Barthel, by contrast, struck 18 winners to 15 unforced errors, a solid differential for one who plays with such razor thin margins.

Still, the German was made to work for it in the end; Jankovic leveled the second set after falling behind an early break, and saved the first two match points before booking a second round encounter with her countrywoman and two-time Grand Slam champion.

Can @Jelena_Jankovic mount a comeback? #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/yYQDkmj84j

— WTA (@WTA) February 19, 2017

“The last couple of matches, I had some difficulties closing them out. So I was probably thinking too much about that, but when I got the break I thought, ‘Nope, it’s not going to happen again!’ I was just trying to stick to my gameplan, and not to think too much.”

Kerber and Barthel split their last four encounters, though the most recent came in 2013, which the former No.1 took in straight sets at the French Open. Barthel leads their head-to-head 2-1 on hardcourts.

Barthel storms past Jankovic 6-1, 6-3!

Plays @AngeliqueKerber next! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/kaJhwj0twr

— WTA (@WTA) February 19, 2017

“It’s such a strong tournament, featuring the best players in the world, so it’s always tough. I’m really happy to have won the first round, and I know playing Angelique won’t be easy. But I have nothing to lose so I’ll try to go out there and just enjoy. I love this city, and have spent a week here preparing. I’m still so thankful for the opportunity, and look forward to being back on the center court.

“It’ll be a great test for me to see where I am right now. It was such a tough year for me last year, so I’m just trying to improve my game every day. I lost a lot of my fitness so I’m still just trying to get back into my rhythm. We’ve had some really good matches the past, but I’ll try to enjoy it.”

.@BamBamSam30 moves into @DDFTennis Second Round!

Downs Zhang 6-3, 6-3! pic.twitter.com/MYSZ9k021e

— WTA (@WTA) February 19, 2017

Earlier in the day, No.12 seed Samantha Stosur eased past Chinese qualifier Zhang Kai-Lin, 6-3, 6-3.

“I thought it was pretty tricky conditions out there, a bit windy and much faster than what we were playing on in Doha, where it was slow and heavy,” she said after the match. “Here, it’s fast and lively. But overall I’m happy to be in the second round.”

Up next for the Qatar Total Open quarterfinalist is either Zhang Shuai or Ana Konjuh.

Magnificent forehand from @bambamsam30! #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/NKhfc7nwqT

— WTA (@WTA) February 19, 2017

“I’m feeling a lot better about my tennis at the moment. I gained a bit more confidence again, and winning matches always helps. For a while, I was hitting the ball really well, but then I was struggling with my shoulder. I feel like I’ve gotten over that hurdle and I’m on the right path again.

Around the grounds, No.15 seed Caroline Garcia knocked out Johanna Larsson, 6-3, 6-3, while two-time Grand Slam semifinalist Ekaterina Makarova dispatched qualifier Zhu Lin, 6-3, 6-1. Japanese hotshot Naomi Osaka advanced over qualifier Chang Kai-Chen, and in the biggest upset of the day, Tunisian qualifier Ons Jabeur stunned No.14 seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-4.

Click here to hear more from Jabeur in the latest episode of the WTA Insider Podcast.

DUBAI, UAE – Kateryna Bondarenko is through to the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships after No.5 seed Garbiñe Muguruza was forced to withdraw due to a left achilles injury while trailing 4-1 in the opening set.

“It’s good that I’m through, but it wasn’t really a win,” Bonadarenko said after the match. “She retired.”

Muguruza suffered a shock defeat last week Doha to Zhang Shuai, and looked to be struggling with her timing early on, double faulting to hand her opponent the immediate break.

At the first changeover, Muguruza called for the physio but opted not to take an injury timeout before being broken again.

“When I finished in Doha, because of the rain, a lot of people played two matches, including me,” Muguruza explained. “The second one was very tough, and I remember that as soon as I went, after the match, to my room, I started to have a pain in my left Achilles.

“The next morning was even more painful. I have been carried this since that day. And here, I have been training but on and off, honestly, because of the pain. Some days it was a little bit better, some days it was a little bit worse. It was just hard for me to serve, especially, and to just move side to side today on the court.

A lack of mobility clearly apparent, Muguruza decided that the best way back into the match was to hit her way out of trouble. But with the score at 4-1 in the first set, she decided that it wasn’t worth continuing.

“I can’t see anything right now. I have to do some kind of MRI.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s like something big, hopefully, but it’s very irritated and it’s really bothering me every time I have to run on the court.”

.@GarbiMuguruza retires in the opening set.

Kateryna Bondarenko advances to @DDFTennis Round of 16. pic.twitter.com/zVW98VFLPo

— WTA (@WTA) February 21, 2017

Muguruza’s retirement means that Bondarenko, who has never been past the second round, will now face either Viktorija Golubic or Caroline Wozniacki.

Click here to learn more about Muguruza’s injury courtesy of WTA Insider.