World No.45 Qualifier Claims Impressive 7-6(2), 6-2 Victory Over 2019 US Open Champion
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open saw a major upset in the first round match on Stadium Court on Tuesday night, with qualifier Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan defeating the 2019 US Open champion, Bianca Andreescu of Canada. The match, which lasted an hour and 40 minutes, saw Putintseva, ranked 45th in the world, secure a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over Andreescu, ranked 37th.
The first set was a physical and intense battle, with both players holding serve in the early stages. However, Putintseva took control in the tiebreak, using her drop shots and slices to take a 6-0 lead. She sealed the first set with her second ace of the day. Putintseva continued to hold the momentum in the second set, racing to a 4-0 lead before serving for the match at 5-2. She fended off a break point to close out the match and secure her place in the second round, where she will face No. 6 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil.
“I think the first set was a really physical set, we played really, really tough rallies,” said Putintseva after the match. “I was feeling a little bit more confident in the second set, and I was like, ‘You have to put pressure now,’ and it worked out well.” Looking ahead to her next match against Haddad Maia, Putintseva stated, “I have to stay low on my legs and be ready for a tough battle.”
The first round also saw a comfortable victory for 2021 Roland Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic. Krejcikova, who reached the Round of 16 at the Australian Open last month, defeated qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania 6-1, 6-4. Krejcikova won 80% of her first-service points and converted five of her seven break points, securing the win in 1 hour and 14 minutes.
Two Top 20 players, Liudmila Samsonova and Karolina Pliskova, also picked up first-round victories over lucky losers. No. 8 seed Samsonova came back from a set down to secure a 3-6, 6-2, 6-0 win over Claire Liu, while World No. 20 Pliskova made swift passage into the second round with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Ysaline Bonaventure. Pliskova, the highest-ranked unseeded player in the draw, will now face No. 3 seed Elena Rybakina, the runner-up of this year’s Australian Open, in the second round.
In conclusion, Tuesday’s first round of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open saw some exciting matches, with major upsets and dominant victories from the players. The tournament is proving to be a thrilling start to the tennis season, with many exciting matches still to come.
