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By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, January 7, 2021

 
Sofia Kenin

Seeded Americans faced first-round stress tests in Abu Dhabi today. Top-seeded Sofia Kenin survived, while No. 11-seeded Jennifer Brady did not.

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Seeded Americans faced Abu Dhabi stress tests today.

Sofia Kenin rose to the challenge.

More: Kenin Receives Advice From Djokovic

Jennifer Brady fell at the first hurdle.

In her 2021 season debut, Kenin showed familiar feisty spirit subduing Chinese qualifier Yang Zhaoxuan, 7-6(4), 6-2, to reach the second round of the Abu Dhabi WTA Women’s Tennis Open.

Kenin relied on her sniper return game winning her maiden major at the 2020 Australian Open and earning WTA Player of the Year honors.

Today, the 5'7" American showed some sting on serve snapping off 11 aces to offset eight double faults.



The Roland Garros runner-up was better on key points: Kenin fought off 14 of 16 break points in a tough one hour, 52-minute triumph.  

"It was the first match, obviously a bit of nerves, I had to find my groove," Kenin said afterward. "Conditions weren't easy, it was quite windy. The first set was tough for me. I couldn't find the ball, I guess. But the second set I started off strong."

Next up for Kenin is likely a heavy dose of slice backhands from Belgian veteran Kirsten Flipkens in round two.

Brady burst out of the blocks force-feeding a bagel in her first season of the season.

Then Tamara Zidansek began striking with more aggression rallying for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-4 upset of the 11th-seeded American.

Brady banged a forehand winner to save a match point and eventually hold for 4-5 forcing Zidansek to serve it out.

On her second match point, Zidansek was wrong-footed and tried a behind-the-back shot that missed the mark. Brady held a break point to level at 5-all, but missed a backhand. 

Resetting, Zidansek zapped a forehand to seal her first Top 25 win since she surprised No. 13 Daria Kasatkina at the 2018 Moscow tournament.

Hsieh Su-Wei edged eighth-seeded Marketa Vondrousova 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(3) in a two hour, 23-minute thriller advancing to a second-round encounter with 99th-ranked Marta Kostyuk.

Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza swept Australian Open doubles champion Kristina Mladenovic 6-2, 6-4. The Frenchwoman betrayed her cause committing 11 double faults and serving just 45 percent.

The No. 5-seeded Muguruza moves on to a second-round meeting vs. Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

Tennis Express

A red-hot Aryna Sabalenka opened 2021 the way she ended 2020: with a win. Sabalenka scored a 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Polona Hercog to extend her winning streak to 10 matches, including her back-to-back title runs in Ostrava and Linz to cap 2020.

The fourth-seeded Belarusian takes on Ajla Tomljanovic in round two.



Third-seeded Karolina Pliskova won 31 of 36 first-serve points fending off 275th-ranked Greek Despina Papamichail 6-2, 7-6(4). 

Coco Gauff tore through 11 straight games in a Ulrikke Eikeri in a 6-0, 6-1 demolition to set up a second-round meeting with ninth-seeded Maria Sakkari.

 

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