Qatar Total Open, Doha, 2021 - WTA 500

[AnonymousFan]

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

A couple of upsets today,

A.Kontaveit d J.Brady (7) 61 62

J.Ostapenko d K.Bertens (5) 60 62 ( It was Bertens first match since having Achilles surgery at the end of 2020,a gap of five months in play).

Amanda Anisimova withdraws due to a ankle injury ,replaced by LL Misaki Doi.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Good to see Madison Keys who is playing her first match since September,with a win over 6th seed Belinda Bencic 64 61.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Interesting match ups Wednesday,

A.Sabalenka (3) vs G.Muguruza
A.Pavlyuchenkova vs P.Kvitova (4)
Ons Jabeur vs Karolina Pliskova (2)
M.Sakkari vs M.Keys
A.Kontaveit vs A.Kerber.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

What a Match....had everything,high intensity which went to 3 sets.
G.Muguruza d A.Sabalenka (3) 62 67(5) 63.,the defending champion.

E.Svitolina (1) d LL M.Doi 61 62
P.Kvitova (4) d A.Pavlyuckenkova 61 63
A.Kontaveit d A.Kerber 61 64......Kerber's form continues it's down wood spiral
J.Pegula d J.Ostapenko 62 75
V.Azarenka d L.Siegemund 64 62
M.Sakkari d M.Keys 62 62

One more match to be played Karolina Pliskova vs Ons Jabeur.

K.Pliskova (2) d Ons Jabeur 64 46 75

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Thursday QFs matches,

P.Kvitova (4) vs A.Kontaveit
E.Svitolina (1) vs V.Azarenka (WC)
M.Sakkari vs G.Muguruza
Karolina Pliskova (2) vs J.Pegula (Q).

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

P.Kvitova (4) d A.Kontaveit 63 36 62 to reach her 3rd Qatar s/final.Petra will play qualifer Jess Pegula in the s/final.

Jess Pegula continues her solid form in defeating No 2 seed Karolina Pliskova 63 61

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Battling with a back injury,Azarenka improves her H2H 4-0 against top seed Elina Svitolina 62 64
Azarenka will play the winner of Muguruza v Sakkari in the s/final.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Great controlled display of tennis from Garbine Murgurza defeating Maria Sakkari 63 61.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Friday's matches,

Ladies Doubles Final.....starting 4pm.

Monica Niculescu/Jelena Ostapenko vs Nicole Melichar/Demi Schuurs.

S/finals not before 6pm.

P.Kvitova (4) vs J.Pegula (Q)

V.Azarenka (WC) vs G.Muguruza.

 

[Moxie]

Battling with a back injury,Azarenka improves her H2H 4-0 against top seed Elina Svitolina 62 64
Azarenka will play the winner of Muguruza v Sakkari in the s/final.

I watched a good bit of that match. The MTO for the back came in the 2nd game of the match. Vika looked like she wouldn't make it to the end, but Svitolina didn't seem to know what to do with a wounded opponent. Or, as the commies said, you can't counterpunch when there's no punch. Azarenka v. Mugu could be good, if Vika is fit.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I watched a good bit of that match. The MTO for the back came in the 2nd game of the match. Vika looked like she wouldn't make it to the end, but Svitolina didn't seem to know what to do with a wounded opponent. Or, as the commies said, you can't counterpunch when there's no punch. Azarenka v. Mugu could be good, if Vika is fit.

I feel the break up with Monfils has also been a factor with Elina and her form at the moment,I am not making excuses for her,though she has never beaten Vika.

 

[Moxie]

I feel the break up with Monfils has also been a factor with Elina and her form at the moment,I am not making excuses for her,though she has never beaten Vika.

Oh, sad...I didn't realize they had broken up. Too bad, they seemed a very nice couple.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Oh, sad...I didn't realize they had broken up. Too bad, they seemed a very nice couple.

Well they said on Twitter they are taking a break from one another,though I read between the lines,just a women's intuition

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Azarenka withdraws in her s/final match against Muguruza who has a walkover into the final.
Bad luck Vika she had a back injury in her q/final match,good decision,I hope it is not serious.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In very windy conditions Petra Kvitova (4) defeats Jess Pegula (Q) 64 64.....Petra will play Garbine in the final
Well done to Jess Pegula who has had a good week making the s/finals in Doha.

Congratulations to N.Melichar/D.Schuurs (2) winning the Ladies Doubles final defeating M.Niculescu/J.Ostapenko 62 26 10 8

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Two-time major champions Petra Kvitova and Garbine Muguruza will meet in the 2021 final,a rematch of the 2018 final.
Kvitova has a H2H 4-1 over Muguruza.
Muguruza,runner up to Kvitova in 2018,now has a chance to avenge that loss in this year's final.

 

[AnonymousFan]

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Petra Kvitova continues her dominance over Garbine Murgurza H2H 5-1 with a crushing 62 61 win.This is Petra's second Qatar title and her 28th career title win.This is Petra's first tournament win since Stuggart 2019.Petra is 20-5 in Doha and 28-7 in finals.
Well done Petra!( another interesting factor it was windy again like the s/final she played,again she handled the windy conditions well in the final).