Qatar Total Energies Open. WTA 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

I dont know what the problem is with Haddad Maia she used to be good on HC and Grass and a former Top Ten player ( back in 2023)
she lost easy in straight sets to Tjen 60 61

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I went to check something on social media and Anisimova has retired in the 3rd set against Pliskova down 4-1, I know she was struggling physically in the 3rd set
Pliskova moves onto the next round 57 76(3) 4-1
Anisimova will leave the Top 5 with that defeat as she was the defending champion, she will now be the 6th seed as no other player is close to her in the point score
BTW,
Seeing Pegula skipped Doha, Gauff will return to be top ranked American woman, its been flipped a few times in recent months

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Last match a night match in Doha
Andreeva was leading 4-2 against Linette now it is 6 all and a TB for the 1st set,
Quite frankly it should have not gone to a TB, Andreeva losing focus in the latter part of the match,
Though now it appears that Andreeva has ' switched on' in the TB she leads 4-0 in the TB
Andreeva 76(0) 1st set, btw Linette did have her chances to win the 1st set but could not convert them
It appears that Andreeva remained 'switched on' after the 1st set TB and won the match 76(0) 61

 

[britbox]

Day 2 Video Highlights:

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Day 2 Video Highlights:

For her first match back in 7 months, a well played match from Zheng

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Monday 10th February,
The defending champion Anisimova bowed out yesterday, retiring in her match against Pliskova citing illness down 1-4 in the 3rd set, the rest of the Top 8 seeds start their matches today. Will we see upsets or will one of the top seeds that are left will go on to win the first WTA1000 tournament of 2026.

Gauff (4) vs Cocciaretto
Swiatek (1) vs Tjen
Rybalina (2) vs X.Wang
Paolini (6) vs Sakkari

A match I am looking forward to is the 41 yo Vera Zvonareva vs the rising Canadian Victoria Mboko (10)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

For the 3rd year in a row Coco Gauff bows out of Doha in straight sets, this year losing to LL Cocciaretto 64 62. Gauff who never before lost a set to Cocciaretto in 3 previous meetings will return to No 4 on Monday, Gauff UFE rate was the main reason she lost, 39 UFE in 2 sets of tennis, is not desirable., it was Gauff's fhand which unraveled.
Other seeds that have lost,
Paolini (6) Alexandrova (8) Noskova (10) Mertens (16)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Vicky Mboko did win 64 64 against 41 yo Zvonareva, but Vera played well especially for a 41 yo, Vicky was hard hitting the ball, all the angles, Vera was still in the rallies.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In just her 2nd match back on tour, ( after 7 months after elbow surgery)
Zheng d Alycia Parkes 76 (4) 36 62
Zheng over comes the big hitting of Parkes
Zheng will face Rybakina in rd 3.

 

[kskate2]

Coco is a mess. She should have kept a full time coach and just hired Gavin to fix her serve, because both swings seem to be more vulnerable than before

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Kalinskaya d Navarro, Navarro faded in the 3rd set, after winning the 2nd set 62
Kainskskaya d Navarro 75 26 62

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Coco is a mess. She should have kept a full time coach and just hired Gavin to fix her serve, because both swings seem to be more vulnerable than before

It was her UFE on her fhand which was a mess today, actually her serve held up
Coco said the things she practiced well didnt happen on the court today

 

[kskate2]

Kalinskaya d Navarro, Navarro faded in the 3rd set, after winning the 2nd set 62
Kainskskaya d Navarro 75 26 62

Emma is not in tip top shape. She's finding that out this year. What used to be her strength, has turned into a weakness.

 

[kskate2]

I dont know what the problem is with Haddad Maia she used to be good on HC and Grass and a former Top Ten player ( back in 2023)
she lost easy in straight sets to Tjen 60 61

she might just be in a slump and has lost the desire. Probably should take a leave like Amanda did and see if she misses the game enough to want to come back

 

[Hoergren]

Surprise - Tauson was in the doubles too together with Chan - not as a lucky looser but as an alternate couple ??? What are the rulles for that? They are now in the quarter final as they didn't play first match - Mertens pair was seeded. Well anyway they played flawless tennis

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

she might just be in a slump and has lost the desire. Probably should take a leave like Amanda did and see if she misses the game enough to want to come back

Maybe like others so soon after the AO, in hindsight should have withdrawn at Doha, her play at the AO was below par for Coco sad to say

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Surprise - Tauson was in the doubles too together with Chan - not as a lucky looser but as an alternate couple ??? What are the rulles for that? They are now in the quarter final as they didn't play first match - Mertens pair was seeded. Well anyway they played flawless tennis
View attachment 10576

I read that Mertens after her loss in singles today, withdrew from the doubles, citing injury
" If a player withdraws after the draw is made,they can be replaced, in many professional tournament ( WTA/ATP) the partner in some cases, find a new partner from the on site alternate list if the withdrawal happened early enough"

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Doha Round of 16,
Swiatek (1) vs Kasatkina
Gracheva Q vs Sakkari
Muchova (14) vs Pliskova
Svitolina (7) vs Kalinskaya
Osorio Q vs Ostapenko
Cocciaretto LL vs Li
Andreeva (5) vs Mboko (10)
Rybalina (2) vs Zheng

 

[britbox]

Day 3 Video Highlights:

 

[kskate2]

Maybe like others so soon after the AO, in hindsight should have withdrawn at Doha, her play at the AO was below par for Coco sad to say

I was referring to Bea needing to take a break.