Wozniacki and Serena Both Advance in Dubai

February 18, 2014 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Caroline_Wozniacki_6
Photo credit: Kenneth B. Goldberg

Caroline Wozniacki was an opening round winner over Sabine Lisicki Tuesday to advance to round two of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, dropping the first set before battling back for the a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory. Wozniacki will next meet Annika Beck, a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 upset winner over Samantha Stosur.

"I knew she was going to come out hot and just go for her shots, and I felt like I was just a step behind," Wozniacki said. "I couldn't really do what I wanted from my backhand side, and I was playing a little too short.”

Also victorious in the opening round was Serena Williams, defeating Ekaterina Makarova 7-6, 6-0 to reach the second round.

“Today was really difficult for me,” said Serena, who was playing her first match since losing to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round of the Australian Open. “I felt so rusty out there and a little frustrated. I was really telling myself to stay positive, because I was making a lot of errors that I normally don't make, and my serve just wasn't popping the way it normally is. I was just really trying to get in the rhythm.”

Speaking of Ivanovic, she was able to save a match point before overcoming the sixth-seeded Angelique Kerber, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6.

Simona Halep, a winner of this past weekend’s Qatar Total Open, was forced to withdraw during her first round encounter with Alizé Cornet. Trailing 6-1, 1-1, Halep received attention for an Achilles problem, and was eventually forced to bow out of the event.

"I was very tired during the match and I felt that I couldn't continue. She played well the first set, and it isn't easy to continue the match when you don't feel 100 percent … you cannot run, you cannot stop at the balls. It's not easy,” said Halep.


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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