Former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka has breezed into the second spherical of the Qatar Open with an emphatic straight-sets defeat of Ipek Oz.
Taking part in her first match since shedding to Elena Rybakina within the semi-finals of the Australian Open, Azarenka dispatched Oz6-1 6-1 on Monday.
Azarenka, a two-time champion in Doha, solely wanted 67 minutes to e book a gathering with Belinda Bencic or Viktoriya Tomova.
World No.187 Ozwas enjoying an opponent ranked contained in the High 20 for the primary time in her profession.
Belarusian Azarenka had supportive phrases for Oz, who entered the court docket draped in a Turkish flag to indicate help for her nation which was rocked by devastating earthquakes final week.
“I am certain it is very exhausting for [Oz] to exit on the court docket and play proper now, contemplating all the things that is occurring, so I want her power,” Azarenka stated throughout her on-court interview.
“Hopefully, someway, a way, issues can get higher.”
Eighth seed Veronika Kudermetova battled her well past former Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova, needing three hours to win 6-Four 3-6 7-6 (7-5).
Kudermetova, the 25-year-old world No.11, has gained all 4 tiebreaks she has contested this 12 months, and her final six courting again to Tokyo in September. She is going to subsequent face both Abu Dhabi runner-up Liudmila Samsonova or wildcard Sofia Kenin.
Elsewhere, Karolina Muchov secured a formidable 6-2 6-2 win over French Open semi-finalist Martina Trevisan within the opening first-round match of the day.
Two former champions additionally efficiently navigated the qualifying rounds. 2017 winner Karolina Pliskova defeated former US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez 6-2 7-5 and 2019 winner Elise Mertens battled previous Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-Four 2-6 6-4.
