Chakvetadze Battles Past Qualifier at Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships
Dubai, UAE, February 26th, 2008: Russia’s Anna Chakvetadze was stretched to three sets by Polish qualifier Agnieszka Radwanska before reaching the second round of the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday.
Another Russian didn’t survive, as Nadia Petrova was beaten 6-4 6-4 by Dubai-based Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik. Once ranked three in the world, Petrova admitted she is feeling a little burned out this year, with the result that she has won just three matches in her last six tournaments.
Another player having problems this season is 2007 Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli. She has also won only three matches this year, falling this time to Francesca Schiavone 6-1 6-7 6-1.
The fact that Radwanska had to play through the qualifying rounds was a reflection of the strength of the tournament, as she recently reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open and won a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event in Thailand to reach the top 20.
The number six seed eventually came through 6-2 2-6 6-4 against a steady and talented opponent, with her greater aggression giving her the edge in a closely contested battle.
Chakvetadze broke in the opening game, helped by a cleverly played dropshot, and then broke again to love to lead 5-2. A double-fault gave Radwanska a break point in the next game, but she made a poor return and Chakvetadze went on to serve out the set.
Having played a near perfect first set, the Russian made more errors in the second that allowed her opponent to build a 3-0 lead and move on to level at one set each. Chakvetadze raised her game once more in the deciding set and broke to love to lead 3-2, and then broke again to lead 5-2. Still the match wasn’t over, as Chakvetadze broke her racquet as Radwanska won the next two games, before she finally served out the victory at her second attempt.
“She’s a tough opponent to play,” said Chakvetadze. “The last game was good, I think. I served pretty well and was fighting to the end and that’s why I won.
“In the second set I had so many opportunities. I was 40-0 up, 30-0 up on her serve but I didn’t take my chance. So although the score was 6-2 and sounds easy, it wasn’t. So it was a good match. We both played well, and it was a good game to win because you get more confidence.”
Sania Mirza won a doubles match on Monday night and delighted her thousands of local supporters, as well as her millions of fans in India and around the world, when she added a 7-6 6-2 victory over Russian Vera Dushevina in the first round of the singles.
But the tournament lost Australian Open champion and number five seed Maria Sharapova before she even stepped on court. The popular Russian is suffering from a viral illness and needs to take a break after her grueling schedule wore her down.
“It started the day before the tournament last week,” said Sharapova. “I flew here right after the final and woke up yesterday morning and didn’t feel good at all. I came to have a little hit in the evening and after 10 minutes I said there was no way I was going to be able to play.”
Despite Sharapova’s withdrawal, the tournament still features five of the top six players in the world, including defending champion and world number one Justine Henin.
The 2008 Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships, which is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, continues until March 1st with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour tournament, and is followed by the ATP event from March 3rd to 8th.
