ATP Doha: Day 1, 1st rd
- World No5 Rafael Nadal got his 2016 campaign off to a stuttering, but testing start, with a 3 set win over fellow Spaniard: Pablo Carreno-Busta. The Mighty Majorcan who had a nightmarish season last year, is hoping to get back to his brilliant best again and winning another Grand Slam. It took a solid 2 hours for the 14-time Major champ to finish things off against his compatriot, but he eventually put away a dogged Carren-Busta:6-7(5), 6-3, 6-1. Rafa’s fellow countryman and defending champ David Ferrer however, got 2016 off to a losing start. The 33 year old veteran came up against inspired Ukrainian- Illya Marchenko, who stunned the Valencian native in 3 sets:6-7(8), 6-3, 6-2.
Wacky Wk 1 on the WTA Tour
- It was a day to forget for the top Divas of the WTA Tour, as they commenced the 2016 season with injuries and shocks galore. The biggest of them all World No1 Serena Williams, had to retire against Aussie Jarmila Wolfe in her 1st singles match of 2016, in the MX team comp; The Hopman Cup. Williams was trailing by a set and a break (7-5, 2-1), when she decided to retire due to knee inflammation, the very same injury that caused her to pull out of USA’s first tie against Ukraine on Monday. Australia Gold later won the tie 3-0. However the following day on Wednesday, Serena announced that she’d withdrawn from the Hopman Cup altogether and that Vicky Duval would be replacing her with partner Jack Sock, for USA’s final tie on Thursday with Czech Republic. Over in Brisbane, defending champ Maria Sharapova withdrew before her opening round match with fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova due to a forearm injury, whilst Halep pulled out with a left-leg problem affecting her Achilles. In Shenzhen, Petra Kvitova retired due to illness in her first match of the season, when down 6-2, 0-0, to China’s Zheng Saisai. Then to cap it off, the last 2 winners of the ASB Classic in Auckland- Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic, both suffered shock upsets in the opening round. Venus coming off her best season in 8 years, finishing with 3 titles and No7, capitulated badly in a set loss to Russian teen Daria Kastakina: 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3, whilst Ana (2014 champ) crashed out to Brit Naomi Broady in straight sets: 7-5, 6-4.
All Things Tennis- from Hamza Shakeel 