Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, UAE, WTA Premier

[Moxie]

DATE: 15 Feb 2016 - 21 Feb 2016
SURFACE: HARD
PRIZE MONEY: $1,734,900
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Simona Halep

Seeds:

1. Simona Halep
2. Garbiñe Muguruza
3. Carla Suárez Navarro
4. Petra Kvitová
5. Belinda Bencic
6. Karolína Plíšková
7. Roberta Vinci
8. Svetlana Kuznetsova

About Dubai:

Dubai is a city in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline.

At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. On man-made islands just offshore is Atlantis, the Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.

 

[britbox]

The city looks remarkable - I have been through Dubai en route to other destinations a few times but never left the airport.

 

[Billie]

A testament to modern architecture, I suppose, as this was all made in the desert. Nice field this year, no Masha or Serena, but still a lot of good players.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I am leaving tonight for this tournament.Honestly I think Halep should have had her nose surgery,playing for Romania in Fed Cup did her no favors.Halep also has an achlles problem,I hope this dosent not come back to haunt her in future touraments.

I am picking Pliskova to win this tournament,Petra is my Dark Horse,still without a coach at present.Also I am interested to see what Justine Henin can bring to Svitilona,who has been a Junior RG Champion,I have seen Henin on clay at RG,one of the best clay court players I have seen,apart from Chris Evert,who in my mind is still the 'Queen of Clay'.

 

[britbox]

I am leaving tonight for this tournament.Honestly I think Halep should have had her nose surgery,playing for Romania in Fed Cup did her no favors.Halep also has an achlles problem,I hope this dosent not come back to haunt her in future touraments.

I am picking Pliskova to win this tournament,Petra is my Dark Horse,still without a coach at present.Also I am interested to see what Justine Henin can bring to Svitilona,who has been a Junior RG Champion,I have seen Henin on clay at RG,one of the best clay court players I have seen,apart from Chris Evert,who in my mind is still the 'Queen of Clay'.

Have a great trip Margaret - Long journey! I'd like to see Petra do well here too, but she's so inconsistent you don't know from one day to the next. Enjoy the tournament.

 

[Billie]

Have a great time Margaret!!!

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

Ana Ivanovic sets out her stall with a first round demolishment.

 

[britbox]

 

[Tennisproguru.com]

Bencic out, Vinci out .. seems that final on sunday, traveling to Dubai on Monday and playing on Tuesday do not suit them ...

 

[Billie]

singles - First round
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) d Daria Gavrilova (AUS) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 0 |
Barbora Strycova (CZE) d [Q] Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 3 |
Elina Svitolina (UKR) d [Q] Jana Cepelova (SVK) | 6 - 3 | 6 - 1 |
Sara Errani (ITA) d [Q] Saisai Zheng (CHN) | 7 - 5 | 6 - 3 |
[Q] Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) d [7] Roberta Vinci (ITA) | 6 - 0 | 4 - 6 | 6 - 3 |
Jelena Jankovic (SRB) d [5] Belinda Bencic (SUI) | 4 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 6 - 4 |
Julia Goerges (GER) d [8] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) | 6 - 0 | 6 - 1 |
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) d [6] [WC] Karolina Pliskova (CZE) | 7 - 6 (5) | 6 - 1 |
Madison Brengle (USA) d Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) | 6 - 4 | 7 - 5 |
Andrea Petkovic (GER) d Camila Giorgi (ITA) | 6 - 2 | 6 - 1 |
Caroline Garcia (FRA) d Anna Karolina Schmiedlova (SVK) | 6 - 4 | 6 - 1 |
Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) d Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) | 6 - 2 | 7 - 6 (1) |

 

[britbox]

Thanks Billie.

 

[britbox]

Belinda Bencic and Roberta Vinci are the two highest profile victims, but Jelena Jankovic is still very much a live opponent who is dangerous on her day. Roberta is coming off a nice tournament win in St. Petersburg and was probably feeling it out in Dubai.

 

[britbox]

2nd round singles - Dubai

G. Muguruza v E. Svitolina
A. Petkovic v J. Jankovic
S. Halep v A. Ivanovic
C. Vandeweghe v K. Mladenovic
P. Kvitova v M. Brengle
S. Errani v Y. Shvedova
C. Suarez Navarro v C. Garcia
B. Strycova v J. Goerges

Simone Halep is going to have her hands full today with a resurgent Ana Ivanovic.

 

[britbox]

Rain and hail in Dubai? I hope Margaret took a coat

 

[britbox]

Quarters:

Caroline Garcia (FRA) VS Andrea Petkovic (GER)
Sara Errani (ITA) VS Madison Brengle (USA)
Ana Ivanovic (SRB) VS Barbora Strycova (CZE)
Coco Vandeweghe (USA) VS Elina Svitolina (UKR)

 

[Billie]

Wow all top 4 seeds are out. Tennis is full of surprises lately.