Sabalenka and Gauff falter in Doha

The first WTA 1000 event of the season in Doha delivered a series of stunning upsets on Tuesday, with several top seeds bowing out early.

Sabalenka Stunned by Alexandrova

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka suffered a shocking second-round defeat at the hands of Ekaterina Alexandrova in a gripping three-set battle. Sabalenka started strong, taking the opening set 6-3 with her trademark baseline power. However, Alexandrova responded in the second, breaking Sabalenka’s serve to claim it 6-3. The deciding set was a tense affair, culminating in a tiebreak where Alexandrova edged out Sabalenka 7-6(5), handing the top seed an early exit in her first appearance since the Australian Open final.

Despite the tight scoreline and the match being highly competitive, the result appears justified when analyzing the key moments. Alexandrova created 45 pressure points on Sabalenka’s serve while facing just 26 on her own throughout the long contest. Unlike previous tough losses, this was not a result of an off-day for Sabalenka, marked by service struggles. She hit six aces compared to just one double fault and maintained a solid 64% first-serve accuracy. However, Alexandrova’s tactical intelligence and impressive baseline play proved to be the decisive factors in securing the victory.

Kostyuk Takes Down Gauff

Third seed Coco Gauff was also eliminated, falling to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in straight sets. Kostyuk took full advantage of Gauff’s struggles, dominating the first set 6-2 as the American racked up unforced errors. Gauff fought back in the second, building a solid lead, but Kostyuk staged a late surge, breaking multiple times to level the score. Ultimately, Kostyuk sealed the victory 6-2, 7-5, with Gauff’s 39 unforced errors proving costly.

More Top 10 Seeds Crash Out

Qinwen Zheng, Emma Navarro, and Paula Badosa joined the list of early exits. Navarro showed a lackluster performance against Leylah Fernandez on Monday. Despite reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, her hard-fought wins there, coupled with inconsistent performances elsewhere, suggest a possible dip in form for the American, who had a sensational 2024 season.

Anisimova’s aggressive play was key in eliminating Badosa, as she struck 24 winners and put constant pressure on the Spaniard’s serve. She created 13 break point opportunities, converting four, while Badosa managed to capitalize on only two of her 10 chances. Anisimova’s powerful groundstrokes kept Badosa on the defensive throughout, ultimately leading to her exit from the tournament.

Jabeur Dominates Struggling Zheng

Zheng has not had the start to 2025 she hoped for. The WTA Finals runner-up suffered an elbow injury in the opening weeks of the season, forcing her to withdraw from multiple events and contributing to a disappointing Australian Open campaign. Her struggles continued in Doha, as Ons Jabeur cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

Surprisingly, the odds before the match favored Zheng, despite her poor form and Jabeur’s strong start to the season. However, the Tunisian’s dominant performance proved otherwise, marking another step forward in her resurgence after a 2024 season plagued by injuries and setbacks.

Rybakina, Paolini, and Pegula Advance

While many top seeds faltered, Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, and Jessica Pegula secured comfortable straight-set victories. Rybakina defeated Peyton Stearns 6-2, 6-4, while Pegula battled past Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-6(3). Paolini, meanwhile, eliminated wild card recipient Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-4.