DUBAI, U.A.E. - On Tuesday at the $1.5-million Dubai Duty Free Women's Open, the seeds advanced with Jelena Jankovic and Daniela Hantuchova needing little time to win their first-round matches.
No.8 seed Hantuchova was first up on Centre Court and needed one hour, 12 minutes to beat Russia's Elena Vesnina, 61 63. A combination of solid serving and groundstrokes from the No.19-ranked Hantuchova proved to be the key to success.
The 23-year-old Slovak broke early to lead 3-1, then widened the gap to 5-1. Vesnina couldn't make a dent in Hantuchova's game and failed to convert on the only break point she had in the first set.
The No.56-ranked Vesnina broke early in the second set to lead 2-0 but then failed to hold serve. She had three break points leading 3-2 but a resilient Hantuchova saved all three to bring the set to 3-all.
After that, Hantuchova cruised, losing only two points for the rest of the match.
“It’s my third time here so I knew what to expect from the court,” said Hantuchova, who next faces Maria Kirilenko in the second round. “It’s usually windy and not easy, but I felt like I dealt with the conditions well. I also knew she came here quite late and I was here already for a couple of days getting ready, so definitely I felt I had an advantage over her and used it in the right way.”
No.5 seed Jankovic needed less time than Hantuchova, exactly one hour, one minute, to win her first-round match against Aravane Rezai of France, 61 62.
Jankovic, ranked No.11 in the world, dominated the match, winning 71 percent of her service points, compared to Rezai's 45 percent. In the end, Jankovic had 64 winners while Rezai racked up 39.
Next up for Jankovic is Italy's Mara Santangelo, who was a 63 76(4) winner over Germany's Martina Muller in the last match of the day.
The surprise winner of the day was 16-year-old Austrian qualifer Tamira Paszek, who defeated Dubai resident Katarina Srebotnik, 75 63. Paszek set up a second-round match against No.1 seed Justine Henin, which will be the featured night match on Wednesday.
Other winners on Tuesday were Vera Dushevina, whose opponent Elena Likhovtseva retired with a viral illness, American Meghann Shaughnessy, a 63 64 winner over qualifier Emmanuelle Gagliardi, and Anabel Medina Garrigues, who beat another qualifer Anne Kremer, 63 64.
In doubles play, wildcards Martina Hingis and Kirilenko bowed out to Janetta Husarova and Kveta Peschke, 62 64.
Wednesday's schedule of play is highlighted by all top four seeds in action. Matches start at 2 p.m. local time with Hantuchova against Kirilenko. No.3 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova will follow, taking on Shaughnessy, then No.2 seed Amelie Mauresmo against Dushevina. No.4 seed Hingis will face Medina Garrigues as the second night match after Henin vs. Paszek. (WTA)
