In the Qatar Open, Aryna Sabalenka, the top seed, was eliminated by Ekaterina Alexandrova in a tightly contested match. Coco Gauff also lost to Marta Kostyuk, while Elena Rybakina advanced to the next round smoothly. Alexandrova will face Elise Mertens next, and Kostyuk will meet Magda Linette, continuing the tournament’s thrilling action.
In a surprising turn of events at the Qatar Open, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated in the second round by Ekaterina Alexandrova. The match concluded with Alexandrova winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) after a gripping two-and-a-half hour battle. This match marked Sabalenka’s first competitive appearance since her loss to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final in January.
Alexandrova, currently ranked 26th, showcased her resilience by bouncing back after dropping the first set. A notable moment occurred during the match when a cat wandered onto the court, causing a brief interruption. Despite this distraction, Alexandrova leveled the match and maintained her composure to clinch the tiebreak 7-5.
This was Sabalenka’s return to the Qatar Open after a year, where she previously won the title in 2020. Following her victory, Alexandrova is set to face Belgian player Elise Mertens in the last-16 round.
Coco Gauff also faced elimination when she lost to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. Gauff struggled with her serve, committing seven double-faults and a total of 39 unforced errors in a performance filled with inconsistencies. She is replaced by Kostyuk, who will meet Magda Linette in the next round.
Elena Rybakina advanced to the last 16 comfortably by defeating Peyton Stearns in her opening match, showing strong form with a 6-2, 6-4 victory. Rybakina, who was a semifinalist in Abu Dhabi last week, is scheduled to compete against Slovakia’s Rebecca Sramkova next, after her win over Mirra Andreeva in three sets.
The Qatar Open saw major upsets as top players Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff were eliminated in early rounds. Alexandrova’s victory highlighted her competitive edge, while Gauff’s performance raised concerns regarding her consistency. In contrast, Rybakina progressed confidently, setting the stage for a challenging third round ahead.
Original Source: www.manilatimes.net
