Wimbledon champion Rybakina fends off Andreescu in Dubai championship

DUBAI: The star-studded WTA1000 field at this week’s Dubai Duty Free Championships delivered drama aplenty on Monday evening as a series of powerful displays, surprise defeats and inspired performances thrilled spectators at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.

After a handful of marathon clashes earlier in the day on center court, ninth seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the reigning Wimbledon champion and a losing finalist at this year’s Australian Open, defeated Canada’s Bianca Andreescu 6-3, 6-4 under floodlights and moonlight to advance to the round of 32 (R32).

“I’m happy that I managed to win with a few ups and downs in the second set,” said Rybakina, a beaten finalist in Dubai three years ago. “I had to focus, so overall I am happy that I managed to win. I want to win every match I play on court. I’m trying to do the work with my team to improve every match.”

In the day’s penultimate match on center court, Jelena Ostapenko, the defending women’s champion, 2017 French Open winner and this year’s 13th seed in Dubai, stormed past Ukrainian Katarina Zavatska without surrendering a breakpoint in a routine 6-1, 6-4 win.

“It’s great to be back here, I played some amazing tennis last year and I enjoy playing in Dubai — I love the tournament and the city. The crowd is amazing and I’m enjoying my tennis,” Ostapenko said.

Elsewhere in the women’s round of 64 (R64), two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka, the 15th seed in Dubai, dug deep to dispatch Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 7-5, while the US’s Shelby Rogers defeated compatriot Claire Liu in straight sets on court 1. Liu, who entered the draw as a lucky loser following the withdrawal of 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Sunday evening, could not compete with