Ivanovic reaches Dubai second round, Azarenka withdraws

Former world number one beats Pavlyuchenkova in straight sets.

DUBAI: Former French Open champion Ana Ivanovic beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3 7-6 in the first round of the Dubai tennis championships on Monday while US teenager Sloane Stephens was eliminated in three sets to cap a miserable debut trip to the Gulf. 

Ivanovic’s career has dipped since she won the French title in 2008, sinking from number one in the world rankings to 13th, and she was far from flawless on the floodlit Dubai court.

The Serb slipped from 4-0 up in the second set to 6-6 as her first serve percentage plunged, before winning the subsequent tiebreak 7-5.

“I really want to, you know, break into the top 10 again,” said Ivanovic. “I feel I have the game, but I just haven’t been consistent enough, especially against the top players.”

The Serb blamed her second set slump on a troubled shoulder.

“I have been struggling for weeks now. I was kind of afraid to hit the ball because it was getting a bit sore, but I was just so happy to win in two (sets) so I can regenerate more and try to be ready for the next one.”

In another match, Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva came out on top in an all-teenage battle, defeating Britain’s Laura Robson 6-4 2-6 7-6.

“It just wasn’t my day, I either went for too much or too little,” a downbeat Robson told reporters afterwards, revealing she had been suffering from a chest infection all year.

Azarenka withdraws due
to foot injury

Meanwhile, Victoria Azarenka withdrew from the event for the second straight year because of a bone bruise in her right heel, according to Sport360.

“I unfortunately have to withdraw from this tournament due to a right foot injury, which happened last week,” said the reigning Australian Open champion.

“I have been obviously playing on it a lot, a lot of tennis over the last five days, especially, so going to a new tournament is too much to handle right now. It keeps getting worse.

“It was an unfortunate decision that I had to make, and, well, obviously very disappointed with that. The schedule is sometimes difficult and rough on the body.”

Carla Suarez Navarro will replace Azarenka in the draw.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2013.