Barbora Krejčíková she has always been one of the best debutists on the circuit, but in singles she started to promote herself properly and especially regularly only last year’s sensational eighth final at the grand slam French Open. It has been in the quarterfinals for the fourth time since then, for the second time this season.
The 25-year-old Czech in Dubai, where she makes her debut in the main competition, beat the seed Maria Sakkari, the Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenková and the two-time Grand Slam winner and former world number two without losing the set. Svetlana Kuznetsova.
While there was only one break in the opening act, the second set offered four lost passes. One hesitation was also shown by Krejčíková, but it was in the state of 3-0, when she had two breaks in her back. No other breakball was offered by the Russian veteran for the whole match, which she had under control from the beginning, and after an hour and a quarter she celebrated the victory 6-3 6-2.
“I’m happy. The positive thing was that I got into the main competition, it was already a huge win and I take all those extra matches as a bonus. I’m very relaxed in the matches now and I’m showing the best performance I’m able to play,” Krejčíková told Radiožurnál .
Last year she managed to get into the elite hundred for the first time, now she is approaching another goal. “It would certainly be nice if I worked my way up to fifty or even higher. That’s why I play to win matches and make every balloon. Such a goal was a lot with the hundred, and as I humbled it, it fell a lot from me. Now “I try to enjoy it and try to play my best tennis. The half I had was fulfilled. The more I enjoy it, the better tennis I play,” she added.
By advancing to her biggest quarterfinals, Krejčíková secured an improvement in her ranking maximum. It will premiere tomorrow Anastasii Potapovovou. Nineteen-year-old Russia pushed the 6-1 2-6 7-5 world twelve and the previous year’s champion Belinda Bencicova in her biggest eighth finals in her career, and after Madison Keys she eliminated another seeded opponent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRnGTo-Za94
Tereza Martincová a week ago, due to a back injury, she gave up the second round in the Lyon hall, but still went to Dubai and did well. Under strong painkillers, she played five matches at a prestigious event, including qualifying, yesterday she scored her most valuable scalp against Kiki Bertens and came very close to her coveted debut in the elite hundred.
She could have secured it today, but in her biggest round of 16 in her career, 4-6 2-6 was not enough Cori Gauffovou, the conqueror of Markéta Vondroušová from the previous round. Even so, the 26-year-old Czech will improve her ranking maximum, she will be less than 60 points short of the Top 100 and she should be around 105th place on Monday.
Martincová lost the serve right in the opening game, even though she led 40-15, and for the whole set she did not get to a single breakball against a great serving opponent. In the second set, she developed a 2-0 lead, but Gauff then raised her game significantly and the running forces did not allow the Martins to win another game.
Sixteen-year-old Gauff will play with Jil Teichmannovou. The Swiss, who gave up Petra Kvitová yesterday, managed a 6-3 6-3 with the Tunisian a bit unexpectedly today. Ons Jaburovou.
Karolína Plíšková also failed in the round of 16, the Czech number one again caught a beating from Jessica Pegulaová after a week.
Spanish Garbiñe Muguruzaová in Dubai she completely forgot about the final debacle of Doha. Today she swept the two French Open 6-0 6-4 Polka winners in the first mutual duel Igu Šwiatekovou and advanced to the quarterfinals without losing the set.
In it, Muguruza will play again after a week with Aryna Sabalenkova (h2h 1-1), which she defeated in three sets in Qatar. Belarus also continues in Dubai without losing a set, after Cornet, she managed 6-3 6-2 today with Estonia Anett Kontaveitovou (6-3 6-2), with which she won the third duel.
• Singles – Round of 16 • |
Krejčíková (CZE) – Kuznetsova (RUS) 6-3 6-2 |
Gauffová (USA) – Martincová (CZE) 6-4 6-2 |
Pegulaová (USA) – Kar. Plíšková (2-Czech Republic) 6-0 6-2 |
Sabalenkova (3-BEL) – Kontaveitova (15-Est.) 6-3 6-2 |
Potapovova (RUS) – Bencicova (6-Switzerland) 6-1 2-6 7-5 |
Muguruza (9-Sp.) – Swiatekova (8-Pol.) 6-0 6-4 |
Mertens (10-Belg.) – Garcia (Fr.) 6-4 6-2 |
TEichmann (Swiss) – Jaburova (TUN) 6-3 6-3 |
• Doubles – Round 2 • |
Krejcikova / Siniakova (2-CR) – N. Kičenoková / Olaruová (Ukr./Rum.) 5-7 6-4 10-6 |
Babosová / Kuděrmetovová (5-Hungarian / Russian) – Kar. Plíšková / Kr. Plíšková (CZE) 6-2 6-4 |
– .