Aisam, Zimonjic crash out in Sydney
The Pak-Serb duo lose in straight sets to Lindstedt and Matkowski
ANOTHER EXIT: After losing the opening round at the Qatar Open earlier in January, Aisam and his partner failed to turn around their fortunes as they succumbed to defeat in only their second match at the Sydney International yesterday. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his new Serb partner Nenad Zimonjic failed to progress to the semi-finals of the Sydney International men’s doubles event after losing to Rober Lindstedt and Marcin Matkowski 2-0 on Thursday.
The fourth-seeded pair resisted Lindsted and Matkowski in the first set but failed to overcome the Swedish-Polish duo and caved in 6-4, making five double faults in the process.
Lindstedt and Matkowski contained Aisam and Zinomjic in the second set as well but triumphed 6-3 as they won in straight-sets in an hour and 10 minutes.
Kvitova to play Pliskova in all Czech final
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will play in the final of the Sydney International after ending Tsvetana Pironkova's incredible run at the tournament on Thursday.
The Czech second seed proved too strong for the plucky Bulgarian defending champion, winning their semi-final 7-5, 6-1.
Kvitova set up an all-Czech final with Karolina Pliskova, who was a straight sets winner in the other semi-final over German fifth seed Angelique Kerber.
After a slow start that included losing her opening service game, Kvitova went to a new level and looks in good shape for next week's Australian Open in Melbourne.
Kukushin ends Del Potro’s winning comeback
Juan Martin del Potro's winning comeback after 10 months out through injury was ended by qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin on Thursday.
The Argentine defending champion, who spent much of last year recovering from wrist surgery, was knocked out in two tiebreaker sets by the Kazakhstan qualifier, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3) in just under two hours.
Del Potro, who beat Sergiy Stakhovsky and top seed Fabio Fognini to reach the quarter-finals after he was awarded a wildcard into the tournament, fought to the end, but found Kukushkin too strong on the day.
"It was a tough match," said the former US Open champion. I think he deserved to win because he played better than me in the tiebreak.”
Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his new Serb partner Nenad Zimonjic failed to progress to the semi-finals of the Sydney International men’s doubles event after losing to Rober Lindstedt and Marcin Matkowski 2-0 on Thursday.
The fourth-seeded pair resisted Lindsted and Matkowski in the first set but failed to overcome the Swedish-Polish duo and caved in 6-4, making five double faults in the process.
Lindstedt and Matkowski contained Aisam and Zinomjic in the second set as well but triumphed 6-3 as they won in straight-sets in an hour and 10 minutes.
Kvitova to play Pliskova in all Czech final
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova will play in the final of the Sydney International after ending Tsvetana Pironkova's incredible run at the tournament on Thursday.
The Czech second seed proved too strong for the plucky Bulgarian defending champion, winning their semi-final 7-5, 6-1.
Kvitova set up an all-Czech final with Karolina Pliskova, who was a straight sets winner in the other semi-final over German fifth seed Angelique Kerber.
After a slow start that included losing her opening service game, Kvitova went to a new level and looks in good shape for next week's Australian Open in Melbourne.
Kukushin ends Del Potro’s winning comeback
Juan Martin del Potro's winning comeback after 10 months out through injury was ended by qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin on Thursday.
The Argentine defending champion, who spent much of last year recovering from wrist surgery, was knocked out in two tiebreaker sets by the Kazakhstan qualifier, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3) in just under two hours.
Del Potro, who beat Sergiy Stakhovsky and top seed Fabio Fognini to reach the quarter-finals after he was awarded a wildcard into the tournament, fought to the end, but found Kukushkin too strong on the day.
"It was a tough match," said the former US Open champion. I think he deserved to win because he played better than me in the tiebreak.”