Du-Bye! Simon Halep, Garbine Muguruza, Petra Kvitova Fall As Seeds Finish Winless In Dubai

For the first time in WTA history, a tournament was played without a seed winning a match. That’s the record now owned by 2016 Dubai where all Top 8 seeds lost in their opening match.

With seeds 5-8 already out, the Top 4 took the court today and results weren’t any better.

Top seed and defending champion Simona Halep fell to former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 7-6, 6-2.

“Honestly, I’m delighted,” Ivanovic said. “It was a great battle in the first set, and she’s such a great player and I really had to raise my game, which I think I did. It was not easy but I’m really thrilled to be through.”

Added Halep, “First set I had set ball, I couldn’t finish, and then I lost a little bit of confidence and it was over.”

No. 2 Petra Kvitova continued his struggles losing to American Madison Brengle 0-6, 7-6, 6-3.

No. 3 Garbine Muguruza still can’t find the form in 2016 as she lost to Elina Svitolina 7-6, 6-3.

“I think I’m not really ready to compete,” Muguruza said. “I think I just need to start from zero again and kind of forget these couple of tournaments, I guess.”

Svitolina is making her debut this week with new coach Justine Henin.

“It was tough, and even more fighting against the conditions, too, I think,” Svitolina said. “I think I returned really well today and that was the key – I was seeing the ball really well and moving well, so this was the main thing I was focused on.”

And in mild upset, Caroline Garcia sent home No. 4 Carla Suarez Navarro.

Coco Vandeweghe, Andrea Petkovic and Sara Errani were also winners on a rainy Wednesday in Dubai.

Australian Open finalists Serena Williams and Angelique Kerber both withdrew from the event.