Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SportsNetwork.com) – Simona Halep and Petra
Kvitova were among the second-round winners Tuesday at the Dubai Tennis
Championships.
The top-seeded Halep thumped Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-0, while the second-
seeded Kvitova had to rally for a 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Elina Svitolina.
Halep took full advantage of a likely tired Hantuchova, who won the Thailand
Open title this past weekend and also played a first-round match in this
tournament on Monday.
“I think she was a little bit tired because she came from (Thailand),” said
Halep. “Maybe I was more fresh, and I was running very well.”
Kvitova didn’t have it as easy.
“I’m not sure where I was in the first set,” said Kvitova, the 2013 Dubai
champ. “I don’t think I was on the court.”
A number of other top players advanced Tuesday.
Caroline Wozniacki, the third seed and 2011 Dubai winner, also struggled
against Samantha Stosur. The Dane had to come back from a set down to pull out
a 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 decision.
Fourth-seeded Ana Ivanovic dropped just three games in her 6-0, 6-3 rout of
Sabine Lisicki, while fifth-seeded Angieszka Radwanska went the distance in a
6-3, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Caroline Garcia. Radwanska won the 2012 Dubai
title.
Ekaterina Makarova, the sixth seed, and seventh-seeded Angelique Kerber each
moved on with straight-set wins, as did 10th-seeded Flavia Pennetta. However,
ninth-seeded Andrea Petkovic, coming off her title last week in Antwerp, lost
to Zarina Diyas and 12th-seeded Jelena Jankovic fell to Garbine Muguruza.
The 2015 Dubai champion will claim $456,000.
