DOHA (Qatar): Victoria Azarenka made a strong start with a confidence 6-2 6-3 win over Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova on the opening day of the Qatar Open here on Monday.
Russia’s Kuznetsova put up a spirited defence in the second, but it wasn’t enough to steer her through.
“I definitely missed the last six years I wanted to come (to Doha),” said two-time Doha champion Azarenka. “We’ve been playing against each other for so long,” she said of her familiarity with Kuznetsova’s powerful style of play.”
Seventh seed and Australian Open finalist, America’s Jennifer Brady, succumbed 6-1, 6-2 to Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit who has only progressed as far as the second round at the last two editions in Doha.
Muguruza through to next round
Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova tested her Spanish opponent, world No. 15 Garbine Muguruza, but ultimately slipped to a 6-2 7-6 defeat.
The Spaniard was a quarter-finalist in Qatar in 2020, losing to Ashleigh Barty who is absent from this year’s tournament, and once again advances to the second round.
Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko put in one of her best performances of recent months by beating Kiki Bertens 6-0, 6-2.
