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Snigur stuns Wang at Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge

Dubai - The 2019 runner-up knocks off the third-seeded Chinese 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-1

Former runner-up Daria Snigur caused the biggest upset, knocking off third seed Xinyu Wang 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-1, to be joined by three more seeded players in the next round on the opening day of the 24th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge.

Snigur, who lost to Romania’s Ana Bogdan here in the 2019 singles final, bid her time before easing her way past the third-seeded Chinese in three sets in 107 minutes on court. “I was nervous out there. In the second set I didn’t know what was happening as it was hot and I was feeling very tired trying to hang in there,” Snigur said after her match.

“At the same time, I wanted to play some good tennis and attack every ball as I knew I was up against one of the best players. In the end the key was to concentrate all the time,” she added. Now past the first hurdle, the 19-year-old from Ukraine hoped she can bring out her best game during this week. “Dubai is one of my best destinations on the circuit. I love this place and the atmosphere, and it would mean so much if I can continue winning. But then, it’s one day at a time,” Snigur related.

Also advancing to the second round was eighth seed Polona Hercog with a lop-sided 1-6, 6-3, 6-1 win against wild card from Egypt, Sandra Samir in two hours and 19 minutes.

Joining them was seventh seed Lesia Tsurenko with a swift 6-3, 7-5 win over Lina Glushko of Israel, while sixth seed Viktoriya Tomova needed three sets (6-4, 4-6, 6-1) to beat Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove of the Netherlands.

Results (Round One): Polona Hercog bt Sandra Samir 1-6, 6-3, 6-1; Daria Snigur bt Xinyu Wang 6-0, 6-7 (5), 6-1; Anastasia Gasanova bt Anna Danilina 6-1, 6-4; Lesia Tsurenko bt Lina Glushko 6-3, 7-5; Viktoria Kuzmova bt Mai Hontama 5-7, 6-3, 6-3; Viktoriya Tomova bt Lesley Pattinama Kerkhove 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.