2018 Dubai Tennis Championships - WTA Premier

[Aussie Darcy]

Time for another big tournament, very good lineup with 6 of the top 10 playing. Doha and Dubai alternate each year between Premier and Premier 5. Dubai's turn to be Premier this year.

Seeded players are: Svitolina, Muguruza, Pliskova, Ostapenko, Garcia, Kerber, Konta and Mladenovic.

Pretty much every unseeded player in this draw is juicy: Bertens, Kontaveit, Kvitova(!!), Osaka, Strycova, Pavs, Suarez Navarro, Vesnina, Safarova and so many more.

Wildcards went to: Bellis, Konta, Osaka and Ostapenko.

Withdrawals were: Barty, Goerges, Keys and Lucic-Baroni.

Juicy 1R matches to watch out for:
Kontaveit v Kvitova
Strycova v Kerber
Konta v Pavs
Kasatkina v Radwanska
Garcia v Safarova
Makarova v Sevastova

Qualifying was absolutely stacked:
Featured: Tsurenko, Stosur, Diyas, Vondrousova, Giorgi, Sabalenka, Errani, Pera, McHale and Hsieh!


Halep will become number 1 after this event as Wozniacki was defending finalist points last year when it was a Premier 5 tournament and she's not playing this year. Neither Halep nor Woz are playing but their lead over #3 Muguruza is so strong it won't make a difference.

Doubles seeds are: Makarova/Vesnina, Chan/Hlavackova, Safarova/Strycova and Hsieh and Peng (they're back together!!!)

Svitolina is the defending champ from when this was a Premier 5 last year. Makarova/Vesnina are the defending champs in doubles.

Draw is here: http://dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/en/scores-and-results/wta-draws

So who will win?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Today's OOP here

http://dubaidutyfreetennischampionships.com/en/schedule/wta-order-of-play

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kvitova understandably withdraws.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Stosur, Tsurenko, Zhuk and Errani qualify for the main draw whilst Wang gets through as a lucky loser thanks to Kvitova withdrawing.

Wang plays Bertens.
Stosur gets Kontaveit (instead of Kvitova)
Errani and Tsurenko play eachother
Zhuk will play Carla

 

[spystud]

Aga lost the first @ 5 to DasKa.

 

[spystud]

So do we PM the mods when the site does this sh*t every two weeks, or what? It's truly unbelievable.

 

[Pagoo]

Man, it's going to be full-on hate for Kasatkina if she knocks me out of SDL.

 

[spystud]

Well, Aga's already down 0-3 in the second too.


1-3 now since this site is so horrendous at the moment.

 

[Pagoo]

LOL. Radwanska just can't hold serve to save her life.

 

[spystud]

 

[spystud]

And Aga loses.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Davai kasatkina

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Sevastova out to Makarova. Not great for the Latvian who was a SFist in Dubai last year when it was Premier 5. She’ll drop a few ranking spots, possibly out of the top 20.

 

[sportmac]

Any word or Muguruza's leg issues?

 

[Deleted member 293577]

Sevastova out to Makarova. Not great for the Latvian who was a SFist in Dubai last year when it was Premier 5. She’ll drop a few ranking spots, possibly out of the top 20.

Ouch. I almost picked Sevastova last night, but was too tired to log on to the forum. Good thing!

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Ouch. I almost picked Sevastova last night, but was too tired to log on to the forum. Good thing!

I refrain from picking against Makarova. You never know with her. So up and down. I don’t really pick her in SDL but I also don’t pick against her.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Not to rub salt into the wounds but Kasatkina did defeat #1 Woz only two weeks ago. Radwańska is so hot and cold lately you just never know. Besides, that 1R draw was crazy hard to choose from.

 

[Pagoo]

Not to rub salt into the wounds but Kasatkina did defeat #1 Woz only two weeks ago. Radwańska is so hot and cold lately you just never know. Besides, that 1R draw was crazy hard to choose from.

Didn't Kasatkina retire injured last week? Frankly, I think I am done with the WTA SDL. It's the same every tournament. Just no consistency from week to week.

 

[spystud]

Yes, & she also completely laid down against the immortal Magda Linette at the Aussie.

 

[Pagoo]

LOL. It's ridiculous!

 

[70後]

There is and was just no excuse for Radwanska's poor serve.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Not to rub salt into the wounds but Kasatkina did defeat #1 Woz only two weeks ago. Radwańska is so hot and cold lately you just never know. Besides, that 1R draw was crazy hard to choose from.

Kasatkina beat Rad on Rad's home, Beijing. So no surprise there IMO.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Pav DF 3 times in a single tie break lmao.

 

[MarcusInKensington]

Johanna Kontabot wins!

 

[I Am Finnish]

Kvitova withdraws

Understandable

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Maria Kirilenko practicing on a tennis court. She's had two kids since she last played on tour. Possible return?

https://twitter.com/josemorgado/status/965717454667370501

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Bellis easily defeats Aus Open SFist Mertens.

Lucky loser Wang beats Bertens.

Stosur up a break on Kontaveit.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Very lucky for Wang to get in as a lucky loser.

Was a QFist last year when the tournament was Premier 5. Would've fallen down the rankings quite a bit as she lost in qualifying. But she gets into the main draw as a lucky loser and defeats Bertens to make the 2R where she'll play Bertens.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Kontaveit spraying errors all over the place.

Stosur breaks once again and will serve for the set up 5-1.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Far too many errors from Kontaveit and Stosur wins with first set with a breadstick.

Winner faces Osaka who knocked out 8th seed Mladenovic in the 1R.

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

Very lucky for Wang to get in as a lucky loser.

I'm pretty sure Wang doesn't really do much on her last Q match due to she already know she will get in as LL.

 

[spystud]

This is shaping up to be the worst Dubai in years. No one really gives a sh*t.

 

[bezs]

Kerber made quick work of that match.

 

[MarcusInKensington]

The lovely Caroline Garcia is ON FIRE.

 

[MarcusInKensington]

The lovely Caroline Garcia WINS.

 

[Vanhool]

Very lucky for Wang to get in as a lucky loser.

Was a QFist last year when the tournament was Premier 5. Would've fallen down the rankings quite a bit as she lost in qualifying. But she gets into the main draw as a lucky loser and defeats Bertens to make the 2R where she'll play Bertens.

Her real luck came when I picked Bertens in SDL

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Far too many errors from Kontaveit and Stosur wins with first set with a breadstick.

Winner faces Osaka who knocked out 8th seed Mladenovic in the 1R.

Stosur manages to lose after winning the first set 6-1. Typical Stosur.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

This is shaping up to be the worst Dubai in years. No one really gives a sh*t.

It’s not that bad?

R16 line up:

Svitolina-Wang
Kontaveit-Osaka
Pliskova-Suarez Navarro
Errani-Kerber
Konta-Kasatkina
Vesnina-Ostapenko
Garcia-Makarova
Bellis-Muguruza

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Damn, those stats are some classic Pavlyuchenkova.

12 double faults, 40 unforced errors and yet it was a straight set match with Konta winning 7-6 6-2...

 

[NaomiKonjuhPotapova]

12 double faults, 40 unforced errors and yet it was a straight set match with Konta winning 7-6 6-2...

I watched it and Pavs had knee problem on last service game set 1 and then she DF 10 times after that.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Osaka up 6-2 4-1 on Kontaveit.
Suarez Navarro up a set on Pliskova but Karolina is up 3-1 in the 2nd.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

5 breaks of serve out of a possible 7 in this 3rd set between Pliskova and Suarez Navarro.

Finally a hold. Pliskova holds for 5-3. Game away now.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Pliskova fights back from 0-2 down in the 3rd set and defeats Suarez Navarro.

Plays the winner of Errani and Kerber.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Vesnina up 6-1 3-1 on Ostapenko.

The Latvian is having a pretty crappy 2018. Needs to find her rhythm for clay seasons ASAP if she wants to hold onto her ranking.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Gsm vesnina


Ostapenko fix your serve please

 

[MarcusInKensington]

Another maginificent victory from the lovely Caroline Garcia. She’ll be #1 by the end of the year.

Ostapenko needs to sort out her serve AND her head.

 

[bezs]

Svitolina took the first set in a jiffy.

 

[Deleted member 293577]

Svitolina took the first set in a jiffy.

And then piddled away the 2nd...

I still think she will win, but she needs to control the UEs.

 

[ScentOfDefeat]

Yeah, I think we can safely say Ostapenko is in a bit of trouble now.
I think the loss of Anabel Medina-Garrigues has proved much more costly than expected.

 

[PeteD]

Konta's getting better -- missing routine balls by less.

 

[PeteD]

Except her dumps. They are still in the middle of the net.
Kasatkina up in the 3rd.

 

[PeteD]

Johanna now down 2 breaks in the third. Needs sports psychologist.