Jelena Ostapenko returns the ball to Wang Xiyu during their Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships match.

Amir Naqvi, Sports Editor

The 2022 champion Jelena Ostapenko overcame a set deficit to beat qualifier Wang Xiyu and reach the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Monday.

The ninth seed from Latvia took two hours to battle past the Chinese 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 at the Centre court.

She will next face wild card entry Lulu Sun, who advanced after Paula Badosa pulled out due to a lower back injury after losing the first set 6-4.

After losing the closely contested first set, World No. 9 Ostapenko bounced back and wrapped up the match by winning the next two sets without any fuss.

Despite dominating the match, Ostapenko’s competitive fire burned bright until the very end.

“It was indeed a tough match. I actually miscounted the score, which I think is a first for me, maybe since juniors. I thought the score was 5-2, and when it was 6-3, I was like, ‘What’s happening?’” she revealed during her post-match interview.

“But it turned out to be a good thing. I was ready to continue playing, but then realized the match was already over, so that’s a positive for me.”

“Yeah, it was really challenging out there. She’s (Wang Xiyu) a fantastic player, incredibly talented, especially with her left-handed big serve. The windy conditions today didn’t make it any easier. But I managed to come through in the end, and that’s what counts.”

Two-time Dubai winner and No. 15 seed Elina Svitolina edged out fellow Ukrainian Anhelina Kalinina 6-3, 7-6(9).

Despite dropping three set points in the second set, Svitolina showed her fighting spirit to prevail in a grueling 1-hour and 40-minute battle.

“The former World No. 3 has captured back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. “It feels fantastic to come back and get a win in the first round,” Svitolina said in her interview.

“This tournament always inspires me, and returning to these familiar surroundings is truly motivating. The positive energy here fuels my performance,” she added.

 Continuing her hot streak, the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova advanced following her victory over Chinese wildcard Shuai Zhang 6-3, 7-5.

With 10 consecutive wins under her belt barring walkovers, the former world No. 1, fresh off victories in the Transylvania Open and a run to the semi-finals in the Qatar Open, will face American wildcard Ashlyn Krueger next.

Anastasia Potapova rallied to beat Lin Zhu in threes sets of 4-6, 6-2,6-4. 12th seed from Russia Liudmila Samsonova faced a stern test from Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova, needing a tiebreak in the first set before closing out the match 7-6(2), 6-3. Despite facing some pressure, Samsonova showed her resilience to move ahead.

Earlier, rising Canadian star Leylah Fernandez and Victoria Azarenka advanced into the second round.

Fernandez, who reached the Qatar Open quarter-finals last week, dismantled Bernarda Pera 6-3, 6-2 in a clinical display. While the first set saw Pera threaten with breakpoints, Fernandez patiently shut the door, securing a crucial break at 4-2. This proved the turning point, as she cruised to victory in just over an hour and 20 minutes.

Azarenka showcased her experience and skill in a dominant 6-2, 6-4 victory over Arantxa Rus at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The former champion wasted no time, dictating the pace of the match from the start and cruising to victory in straight sets.

This sets up a mouthwatering clash against World No. 4 Elena Rybakina, known for her powerful serve and aggressive baseline play. Rybakina enters the tournament following a loss to Iga Swiatek in the Qatar Open final recently.

‘I’ve developed a better mindset to adapt and improve throughout tournaments, unlike before, when the focus was solely on pre-match preparation, said Azarenka.

 “This flexible approach has served me well so far, but I strive to sharpen my execution in clutch moments, converting more of those opportunities,” added the two-time Australian Open winner.

Another Russian to reach the next round was No. 13 seed Veronika Kudermetova, who faced off against Ukrainian wildcard Dayana Yastremska in a match that took an unexpected turn.

Kudermetova dominated the first set 6-0, only to surrender the second 1-6. But she bounced back spectacularly in the decider, claiming it 6-0 to secure her place in the second round.