Radwanska Advances to Doha Quarterfinals
Third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska made her way into the Qatar Open quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Romanian Monica Niculescu in Doha on Wednesday.
Radwanska fell behind a double break in the opening set, but avoided the upset bug that had been going around Doha, fighting back to win the opening set 7-5 and cruising in the second set.
“I think she has the best hands on tour, very tricky player and very uncomfortable to play against,” said Radwanska. “I knew it was going to be tough and a long one so what can I say? She really made me play my best tennis, so I’m very happy to win that match in two sets.”
Radwanska played sharp tennis throughout the match, hitting 31 winners to just 15 unforced errors and saving all five break points she faced in the second set.
In the quarterfinals, Radwanska will take on Italy’s Roberta Vinci. The ninth-seed took out Cagla Buyakakcay by the same 7-5, 6-1 score line.
While Radwanska and Vinci were able to push through, the Qatar Open continued to be unkind to some the world’s top players.
Fifth-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova won the opening set of her third-round match on Wednesday before Jelena Ostapenko came back to upend Kvitova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Ostapenko will take on Zheng Saisai, who followed up her upset over top-seed Angelique Kerber in the second-round by toppling Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard 7-6(1), 6-1.
Elena Vesnina hung on to beat 13th seed Caroline Wozniacki 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 to book her spot in the final eight. The Russian qualifier will take on eighth-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez-Navarro who rolled past 11th seeded Swiss Timea Bacsinszky 6-2, 6-2.
The other quarterfinal in Doha will see Germany’s Andrea Petkovic take on fourth-seeded Spaniard Garbine Muguruza.
Petkovic ousted American Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday while Muguruza moved past Timea Babos 6-2, 7-5.
