Cirstea First Winner At Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships
Sorana Cirstea was the first player to reach the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday when she defeated Sloane Stephens 5-7 6-3 6-2.
Stephens, who sensationally beat Serena Williams at the Australian Open last month, held the upper hand through much of the first set but struggled to close it out.
After being unable to convert three earlier break points the American teenager finally broke to lead 5-4, but she then failed to serve out the set after leading 40-0. Then, even though at 5-5 she broke Cirstea again, Stephens had to fight off two break points to win the set.
Gaining confidence from her lead, Stephens then broke Cirstea’s serve in the opening game of the second set. But she was unable to maintain her advantage as Cirstea broke back to level at 3-3 and then again for 5-3 before taking the set on her third set point.
In the final set, Stephens again failed to make the most of her chances as Cirstea fought off two break points to hold for 1-1 and then broke to lead 2-1. And although the Romanian double-faulted to allow Stephens to level at 2-2, she then swept the next four games to claim victory.
Later on Monday, world number 11 Marion Bartoli was meeting Klara Zakopalova for the right to meet new world number one Serena Williams in the next round, and former world number one and French Open champion Ana Ivanovic plays one-time junior world champion Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
The top four seeds have a bye into the second round of an event that features eight of the world’s top 10 players. In addition to Williams, the Wimbledon, US Open and Olympic champion, the tournament features Australian Open and Doha winner Victoria Azarenka, 2011 Dubai champion Caroline Wozniacki, defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur, 2011 Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, Italian number one Sara Errani and top German Angelique Kerber.
Play started at the Dubai Tennis Stadium on 18 February with the WTA Tour event, and continues on 25 February with the ATP tournament that features defending champion Roger Federer, and world number one Novak Djokovic.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free and 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.
Tickets for the event are available from the Box Office at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, Garhoud which opens from 9am to 9pm daily. Grandstand tickets can also be bought online at http://www.timeouttickets.com/.
For further information about tickets, prices and the tournament phone the call centre on +971 4 4172415.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Feb 18, 2013
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