Tennis: Aisam, Rojer through to 2nd round
Venus shocks Kvitova but Nadal, Murray advance in Miami.
MIAMI:
Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Julean Rojer beat Pablo Andujar and Carlos Berlocq 6-1, 6-4 to move into the second round of the doubles event of the Miami hardcourt tournament.
Meanwhile, in the singles event, Venus Williams, in only her second WTA match after a long illness layoff, upset world number three Petra Kvitova to reach the third round. World number two Rafael Nadal cruised in his opener and women’s top-seed Victoria Azarenka stretched her win streak to 24 matches at the $9.6 million event, but seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams stole the show.
“It’s definitely a big step forward,” said Williams after her 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 win. Kvitova was impressed with how well Williams played after seven months away in booking a third-round match-up with Canadian wildcard Aleksandra Wozniak, who defeated Romania’s Monica Niculescu 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
“She played very well after a long time, she looks very ready, very fit,” said Kvitova. “The third set was really cruel for me. I knew what I had to do, but if I don’t return very well it’s tough to play against her.”
Meanwhile, Nadal began his quest for a maiden Miami title by ousting Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-0 in 69 minutes. Women’s world number one Azarenka eliminated Dutch player Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 7-5. World number four Andy Murray eased into the third round by dispatching Colombia’s Alejandro Falla 6-2, 6-3.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2012.
Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Julean Rojer beat Pablo Andujar and Carlos Berlocq 6-1, 6-4 to move into the second round of the doubles event of the Miami hardcourt tournament.
Meanwhile, in the singles event, Venus Williams, in only her second WTA match after a long illness layoff, upset world number three Petra Kvitova to reach the third round. World number two Rafael Nadal cruised in his opener and women’s top-seed Victoria Azarenka stretched her win streak to 24 matches at the $9.6 million event, but seven-time Grand Slam singles champion Williams stole the show.
“It’s definitely a big step forward,” said Williams after her 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 win. Kvitova was impressed with how well Williams played after seven months away in booking a third-round match-up with Canadian wildcard Aleksandra Wozniak, who defeated Romania’s Monica Niculescu 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
“She played very well after a long time, she looks very ready, very fit,” said Kvitova. “The third set was really cruel for me. I knew what I had to do, but if I don’t return very well it’s tough to play against her.”
Meanwhile, Nadal began his quest for a maiden Miami title by ousting Colombia’s Santiago Giraldo 6-2, 6-0 in 69 minutes. Women’s world number one Azarenka eliminated Dutch player Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 7-5. World number four Andy Murray eased into the third round by dispatching Colombia’s Alejandro Falla 6-2, 6-3.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2012.