Muguruza Loses In Doha; Kerber, Wozniacki-Radwanska Wednesday

After a rainy Tuesday, play resumed Wednesday In Doha with a loaded schedule with many players on court twice. Among the notable results was a loss by French Open champion Garbine Muguruza to Shuai Zhang 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-5.

Earlier in the day, Muguruza beat Cagla Buyukakcay 6-3, 6-2 but couldn’t find her form in the second match.

“I woke up thinking that I was going to have a very tough day,” Muguruza said. “This morning I warm up at 9:00 in the morning. I played pretty good the first match. The second one, Zhang played very well. The conditions were difficult. There was a lot of wind. She was finding her shots. At the end I think was two points difference and they went to her.”

Former French semifinalist Timea Bacsinszky had to retire after losing the first set to Yulia Putintseva. Putinseva then played her second round but then she retired to Monica.

Caroline Wozniacki, Dominika Cibulkova, Daria Kasatkina and Elena Vesnina were also winners.

On tap Thursday, World No. 1 Angelique Kerber collides with Kasatkina. And Wozniacki will meet good friend Agnieszka Radwanska.

“She’s a tough opponent,” Wozniacki said of Radwanska. “She was seeded very high so she got a bye and she’s probably been watching us grind it out this morning. But at least I’m warm and can hopefully keep the momentum going.”

Many of the winners Thursday will play again later in the day.