Petra Kvitova scored a 6-4, 6-4 knockout of No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in Wednesday’s upset-filled second round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates.
The unseeded Czech overcame 3-2 deficits in both sets, struck seven aces and saved three of five break points in the one-hour, 25-minute match. Kvitova, the 2013 Dubai champion and 2019 runner-up, collected her 11th career win against an opponent ranked in the top 2.
Sabalenka, the world No. 2, wasn’t the only seeded player shown the door. Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska defeated No. 2 seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6 (3); Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova beat defending champ and No. 4 seed Garbine Muguruza of Spain 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko was a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (4) winner vs. No. 6 Iga Swiatek of Poland; and No. 10 Elina Svitolina of Ukraine fell 7-6 (0), 6-2 to Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann.
No. 8 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia safely advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-1 defeat of Jessica Pegula. Also moving on was 2020 Dubai champion Simona Halep of Romania with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of compatriot Elena Ruse. Marketa Vondrousova of the Czech Republic breezed to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Russia’s Varvara Gracheva.
–Field Level Media