Amanda Anisimova of the US returns the ball to Elina Svitolina of Ukraine during their Round of 32 match of the Qatar Total Open at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, yesterday.
American teenager Amanda Anisimova pulled off one of the biggest upset of the Qatar Total Open as she eased past No.5 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in straight sets to book her place in the third round.
Besides Svitolina, three other seeded players also crashed out of the first Premier 5 event on the 2020 calendar in which six of the WTA’s top 10 are taking part.
Tenth seed Petra Martic of Croatia lost 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 to Barbora Strycova of Czech Republic, while Zheng Saisai of China got the better of 12th seed Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 and Iga Swiatek of Poland handed 17th seed Donna Vekic of Croatia a 6-4, 7-5 straight sets defeat.
Yesterday at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, 18-year-old Anisimova ranked 29 on the WTA computer soared past Svitolina 6-3, 6-3 to pick her first top 10 win of 2020.
“Elina’s a great player, so I was just trying to go out there and fight for every point,” she said during her on-court interview.
“I wanted to stay focused on each ball, so I’m really happy to get through this match.”
Anisimova last beat a Top 10 player at Roland Garros, where she dethroned defending champion Simona Halep en route to her first Grand Slam semifinal, and showed flashes of that brilliance in her Doha debut yesterday, securing victory after 64 minutes on Centre Court.
“I was finishing my semester exams that week, and I actually got them done that night,” she said of how she celebrated the career breakthrough. “That was surprising!”
Svitolina ended 2019 on a high note, reaching back-to-back Grand Slam semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, and came within one match of defending her WTA Finals crown in Shenzhen - falling to World No.1 Ashleigh Barty.
Fresh off a win over rising Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova in the first round, Anisimova saved two break points in the third game of the opening set to turn the tables on Svitolina, a semi-finalist at this event last year. Nabbing the only break of the set, Anisimova held on to clinch the set on her second opportunity.
The second set moved in similar fashion as the Ukrainian earned another break chance on the Anisimova serve, only to find herself on the back foot as the World No.29 took a 0-40 lead two games later. While Svitolina battled back to deuce, Anisimova was undeterred, breaking serve and moving ahead 5-3.
Looking to put the pressure back on her young opponent, the former World No.3 had two game points as she served to stay in the match. A mix of inconsistency on top of
Anisimova’s relentless aggression ultimately proved her undoing as it was the American who turned one last game around to move over the finish line.
In all, she struck an impressive 27 winners to 21 unforced errors and saved all three break points faced on her own serve while converting three of six opportunities on the Svitolina serve.
“I love playing here. I love this stadium and the crowd is great. I’m so glad I get to see everyone again in the next round.”
Up next for Anisimova will be the winner of between former World No.2 Svetlana Kuznetsova and Polish teenager Swiatek. Swiatek came through her first round clash with Vekic, while Kuznetsova made quick work of Turkish wildcard Cagla Buyukakcay on Sunday.
“I have still have some school work, but I don’t think I’ll be doing it tonight! I’m just going to soak it in; I don’t think I play tomorrow so I’m just going to practice and work for my next match.”
Meanwhile, No.7 seed Kiki Bertens of Netherlands overcame Karolina Muchova of Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4 to move into the last 16.
“I was really happy with the level I played today. My serving was great – I saved all the break points I faced – and I missed only one break point that I won, so on the important points I was there,” she said after yesterday's win.
“I hadn’t played her before but I’d seen her play and I knew she’d be really aggressive, coming to the net so I knew I had to play aggressive myself. If she was able to play aggressive, she’d have been able to get to the net and put me under pressure.”
Also advancing to the next round was No.15 seed Maria Sakkari of Greece as she overcame Julia Goerges of Germany 6-4, 6-3 in one hour 22 minutes.
Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro, the 2016 champion in Doha, defeated Zhang Shuai of China 7-5, 6-0.
Estonia's Anett Kontaveit defeated Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
Elena Rybakina, the fast emerging 20-year old from Kazakhstan, overcame a slow start to beat Romania's Sorana Cirstea 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
