The first WTA Premier event of the season is underway this week in Dubai, where a host of the game’s top stars have assembled to compete for the trophy. On day two, a number of seeds will spring into action including grand slam champions and former members of the top ten. But who will come through to book their place in the second round?
Julia Goerges vs Alison Riske (second on Centre Court)
Germany’s Julia Goerges enjoyed the best year of her career last season, highlighted by a run to the semifinals at Wimbledon (lost to Williams). But despite starting this season with impressively with a title in Auckland, she has struggled to find her best tennis consistently. However, Goerges will surely feel confident about her chances against Alison Riske, who she beat in the round of 16 last week in Qatar. She was made to work for the 6-1 6-7 6-4 win, her second in as many meetings against the American, but should have enough to get over the line again.
Goerges in two
Jelena Ostapenko vs Jennifer Brady (third on Centre Court)
2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko had a frustrating year in 2018 and her struggles have continued into 2019, with the Latvian having won just two of her seven matches so far this year. But she will hope to put that to rights when she takes on American qualifier Jennifer Brady. The WTA Dubai marks the second time this season that Brady has qualified into the main draw after she did so at the Thailand Open. There she went on to upset Caroline Garcia and reach the second round. But expect Ostapenko to prove too powerful and claim a much-needed win.
Ostapenko in three
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Caroline Wozniacki vs Stefanie Voegele (fourth on Centre Court)
Former-world #1 Caroline Wozniacki will hope to make a winning return to action after having to withdraw from the Qatar Open last week with a viral illness. That will make her first-round clash with lucky loser Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland her first match since seeing her title defence at the Australian Open end in a fourth-round defeat to Maria Sharapova. It was the Swiss who won their only previous meeting which came six years ago in the quarterfinals in Charleston. But Wozniacki should have the quality to avenge that particular loss in Dubai.
Wozniacki in two
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Mihaela Buzarnescu vs Sofia Kenin (first on Court One)
Romania’s Mihaela Buzarnescu, who had an astonishing 2018, will hope to add another chapter to her late career revival this week at the WTA Dubai. However, she faces a tough opening-round test in the shape of Hobart champion Sofia Kenin. Kenin hasn’t played on tour since the Australian Open, but there, the 20-year-old came close to scoring a famous victory over top seed Simona Halep before losing in three. In the form of her life, she will surely be full of confidence ahead of this clash and rightly so. Expect the young American to score another statement win by reaching the second round in Dubai.
Kenin in three
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