Kvitova, Fernandez prevail; Fruhvirtova knocks out Collins in Dubai
Multiple Grand Slam titlists and finalists were in action on opening day of main-draw play at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Here's a breakdown of how Sunday shook out at the year's first WTA 1000 event:
Former champ Kvitova cruises
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova dismissed Martina Trevisan View Profile 6-2, 6-1 in 68 minutes to reach the second round in Dubai.
No.12 seed Kvitova, who claimed the Dubai title in 2013, won 12 of Trevisan's 13 second-service points in the match, leading to a 6-of-8 break point conversion rate.
Sealed with an ACE 💥
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2023
2013 champion @Petra_Kvitova sails into Round 2 with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Trevisan.#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/PzTo9fFHBg
Kvitova allowed Trevisan to hit only one winner in the affair, which is the fewest winners Kvitova has conceded in a single WTA Tour match over the last three years.
Next up for Kvitova will be the winner of Monday's first-round match between Petra Martic View Profile and Yulia Putintseva View Profile . Kvitova is 1-1 against Martic, but 2-0 over Putintseva.
Read more: In longest match of the year, Samsonova outlasts Badosa in Dubai
Fruhvirtova topples Collins
Later on Day 1, 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova View Profile eliminated 2022 Australian Open runner-up Danielle Collins View Profile 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour and 17 minutes to reach the second round.
World No.52 Fruhvirtova has already made waves in 2023, reaching the Round of 16 in her Australian Open main-draw debut last month. The Czech teen notched another big win on Sunday over former World No.7 Collins, slamming six aces during the encounter.
Fruhvirtova will meet either No.13 seed Jelena Ostapenko View Profile or qualifier Katarina Zavatska View Profile in the second round.
Fernandez, Krejcikova, Keys breeze through openers
2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez View Profile won her first-round match in Sunday's night session, beating qualifier Julia Grabher View Profile 6-4, 6-2.
Highlights: Fernandez def. Grabher
World No.39 Fernandez took 1 hour and 14 minutes to notch her second straight-sets win over 90th-ranked Grabher this season. Fernandez defeated Grabher 6-0, 6-1 in the second round of Auckland last month.
With her win, Fernandez sets up an eye-catching second-round match against World No.1 Iga Swiatek View Profile . In their only prior meeting at tour-level so far, Swiatek powered past Fernandez in straight sets at Adelaide last year.
2021 Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova View Profile also eased into the second round with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Irina-Camelia Begu View Profile , leveling their head-to-head at 1-1.
Krejcikova, who was the Dubai runner-up in 2021, dropped serve in the opening game of the match, but she reeled off the last four games of the first set, then eased through the second set to line up a second-round meeting with No.7 seed Daria Kasatkina View Profile View Profile . Krejcikova and Kasatkina have split their two previous meetings.
Our first winner of the day 👋@Madison_Keys eases past Paolini 6-1, 6-1 to set up a second round clash with No.4 seed Garcia.#DDFtennis pic.twitter.com/sHsrnXAAI8
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2023
2017 US Open runner-up Madison Keys View Profile View Profile had an even swifter time making it into the second round. Keys dispatched Jasmine Paolini View Profile View Profile 6-1, 6-1 in exactly an hour in their first meeting.
Keys had five aces in the match and won 78 percent of points when returning the Paolini second serve, and she will now take on No.4 seed Caroline Garcia View Profile View Profile in the second round. Keys has won three of her four previous meetings with Garcia.
Kenin, Zvonareva ousted
Another Grand Slam titlist, Sofia Kenin View Profile View Profile , was unable to advance. World No.26 Marie Bouzkova View Profile View Profile knocked out 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin 6-1, 6-1 in 61 minutes to reach the second round.
Bouzkova, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist last year, never faced a break point as she took her place in the second round, where she will face a second straight Grand Slam champion: either last year's Wimbledon victor Elena Rybakina View Profile View Profile or 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu View Profile View Profile .
Two-time Grand Slam finalist Vera Zvonareva was also beaten on Sunday. Amanda Anisimova View Profile View Profile claimed a 6-3, 6-2 win over 38-year-old Zvonareva, who reached the Wimbledon and US Open finals in 2010.
