BERLIN: Ons Jabeur started her grass-court season with a win as she cruised past Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-3 at the Berlin Open on Tuesday, while Andrea Petkovic delighted the home fans by upsetting Garbiñe Muguruza.
Playing for the first time since a shock first-round loss at the French Open, the fourth-ranked Jabeur put in an assured performance as she saved all four of the break points she faced against her Czech opponent.
The top-seeded Jabeur, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year, will next play US qualifier Alycia Parks.
The Tunisian will also team up with the returning Serena Williams to play doubles in Eastbourne next week.
“Pretty excited to play doubles with Serena,” Jabeur said. “When I got the news, I was over the moon. Such a privilege for me.”
Petkovic defeated the fifth-seeded Muguruza 7-6 (8), 6-4 for her first win over a top 10 player since beating Petra Kvitova at the US Open in 2019.
The German will next face Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus for a place in the quarterfinals.
The second-seeded Maria Sakkari eased into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean. Sakkari, who avenged her loss to Jeanjean in their only previous meeting in 2013, will play Australian qualifier Daria Saville next.
Belinda Bencic defeated German wild card Jule Niemeier 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 for another second-round match against Anna Kalinskaya. Bencic beat the Russian player in the same round in ‘s-Hertogenbosch last week.
Jabeur opens with win in Berlin, Petkovic upsets Muguruza
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Jabeur opens with win in Berlin, Petkovic upsets Muguruza
- Fourth-ranked Jabeur put in an assured performance as she saved all four of the break points
- The top-seeded Jabeur, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year, will next play US qualifier Alycia Parks
Nunez double seals win as Al-Hilal finish AFC Champions League Elite group stage atop the table
- Reigning champions Al-Ahli take second spot in the West Region rankings with dramatic 4-3 win over Emirati side Shabab Al-Ahli
- The other Saudi contenders, Al-Ittihad, wrap up the group stage with a visit to Al-Sadd of Qatar on Tuesday, having already guaranteed qualification for the Round of 16
DUBAI: Al-Hilal concluded the group stage of the AFC Champions League Elite with a 2-1 home win over Al-Wahda of Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The Riyadh side finished top of the 12-team West Region table on 22 points from eight games, five clear of their closest challengers, Saudi Pro League rivals Al-Ahli. Both clubs progress to the Round of 16, which will played over two legs early next month.
Darwin Nunez gave the home team the lead after 19 minutes with a firm header from a Reuben Neves cross, but Brahim Diarra’s equalizer on 32 minutes meant the teams went into the break on level terms.
Al-Hilal were already guaranteed top place in the group regardless of the result but coach Simone Inzaghi signaled a desire to conclude the group stage in style with a victory as he made four substitutions in a second half during which for long spells his team struggled to break down the visitors from the UAE.
The winner finally came after 77 minutes when Nunez converted substitute Sultan Mandash’s low cross from close range to claim his second of the night.
Earlier, reigning champions Al-Ahli claimed a dramatic 4-3 home win over Emirati club Shabab Al-Ahli to all-but ensure second place in the group table.
The Jeddah side seemed to be coasting to a comfortable victory as they built a 3-0 half-time lead thanks to a Feras Al-Buraikan strike after 12 minutes, a Bogdan Planic own goal in the 35th, and a goal from Enzo Millot in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. Things got even better when Saleh Abu Al-Shamat added fourth from the penalty spot after 52 minutes.
That seemed to be that, but the visitors had other ideas and launched a most unlikely comeback courtesy of two strikes from Breno Cascardo, in the 66th and 78th minutes, and a stoppage-time goal by Mohammed Juma that tested the nerves of Al-Ahli’s fans in the closing moments of the match.
The visitors had barely any time to chase an equalizer, however, and the home team held on.
The Kingdom’s third representatives in the competition, reigning SPL champions Al-Ittihad, wrap up their group stage campaign with a visit to Al-Sadd of Qatar on Tuesday.
The Jeddah side are sitting in fifth place in the table on 12 points from seven matches, and cannot finish any lower than that but could end up as high as third place, depending on results tomorrow. The top eight teams qualify for the Round of 16, in which they will be joined by the top eight finishers from the East Region.
