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Post by : Badri Ariffin
The 28th Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge in Dubai kicked off with a thrilling performance from Croatia’s Petra Marcinko, who took down Slovak veteran Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4, 6-1. As she celebrates her 20th birthday this week, Marcinko demonstrated remarkable skill and focus, completing the match in just 75 minutes on court No. 1.
In a surprising turn of events, top seed Dalma Galfi had to retire due to a foot injury against qualifier Tereza Martincova, who was ahead 1-2 in the second set. Additionally, former doubles world No. 1 Kristina Mladenovic was defeated 6-3, 6-2 by Alevtina Ibragimova after a swift 73-minute match.
The 16-year-old British talent, Mika Stojsavljevic, fresh off winning the junior US Open, kept the momentum going by beating Valentina Ryser 6-4, 6-3. She is set to face third seed Sinja Kraus next. Meanwhile, Ibragimova will take on sixth seed Linda Fruhvirtova in the following round.
Marcinko, who earned the Fujairah W75 title just last week and was the 2022 Australian Open junior champion, emphasized the need for consistency as she heads into the Australian Open cutoff tournament. Though Hruncakova challenged her, Marcinko's steadiness during crucial points made a significant impact.
The opening set was closely fought with both players exchanging breakthroughs. Hruncakova’s mistakes, including double faults, allowed Marcinko to pull ahead. In the second set, she established an early lead with two quick breaks, maintaining her advantage until the end. Her next opponent is Great Britain’s Harriet Dart, who easily dispatched Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama 6-1, 6-1.
Tereza Martincova expressed mixed emotions about her advancement given the circumstances surrounding Galfi's injury.
As the tournament continues, the early exits of high-profile players have opened the door for emerging talents, leaving fans excited to see who will capitalize on the unfolding opportunities.
Results Summary:
Petra Marcinko bt Viktoria Hruncakova 6-4, 6-1
Tereza Martincova bt Dalma Galfi 6-3, 2-1 (ret.)
Alevtina Ibragimova bt Kristina Mladenovic 6-3, 6-2
Mika Stojsavljevic bt Valentina Ryser 6-4, 6-3
Harriet Dart bt Mai Hontama 6-1, 6-1
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