Kalinina Defeats Raducanu in Doha; Fernandez Wins, Krejcikova Withdraws
Anhelina Kalinina emerged victorious in her match against Emma Raducanu in the first round of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open. In another match, Leylah Fernandez defeated Liudmila Samsonova to advance. Barbora Krejcikova withdrew from the tournament due to a back injury.
Kalinina Knocks Out Raducanu
Anhelina Kalinina secured a dominant victory over Emma Raducanu in the first round of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open. Kalinina won the match 6-0, 7-6(6) in 1 hour and 39 minutes. She started strong, winning the first seven games and losing only 12 points. However, Raducanu did not go down without a fight and forced a second-set tiebreak. Kalinina saved a set point before clinching the win with her third match point. This victory marks Kalinina's second win over Raducanu, as she previously defeated her in the third round of Madrid 2022.
Kalinina will now face No.8 seed Jelena Ostapenko in the second round. She has a tough challenge ahead, as Ostapenko has won all three of their previous encounters.
Fernandez Upsets Samsonova to Advance
Leylah Fernandez emerged victorious in a tight match against Liudmila Samsonova in the first round. Fernandez, who was the runner-up to Raducanu at the 2021 US Open, won the match 7-5, 7-6 in 2 hours and 10 minutes. She displayed exceptional skill in redirecting Samsonova's powerful shots and took an early lead in the second set. Although Samsonova fought back to force a tiebreak, Fernandez regained control and sealed the victory.
This win avenges Fernandez's loss to Samsonova in the second round of the 2022 US Open. She will now face wild card Paula Badosa in the second round.
Krejcikova Withdraws with Back Injury
Barbora Krejcikova, the No.9 seed, was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to a back injury. She was set to face Anastasia Potapova in the first round but was replaced by lucky loser Martina Trevisan. Krejcikova's withdrawal is a setback for her, as she has been performing well this season, winning two titles already. The injury leaves her uncertain for future tournaments.
Krejcikova's withdrawal opens up an opportunity for Trevisan to continue her campaign in the tournament.
