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Kuznetsova and Schiavone set for Dubai duel

DUBAI - Svetlana Kuznetsova and Francesca Schiavone look set to repeat their history-breaking heroics from the Australian Open following the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships draw on Saturday evening.

Schiavone, the third-seeded Italian, and Russia’s Kuznetsova, seeded 16^th here, played the second-longest women’s match in history back in January, when the French Open champion eventually emerged victorious 6-4, 1-6, 16-14 after four hours and 44 minutes in Melbourne.

They could prospectively meet again in the last 16 at the Dubai Tennis Stadium, with Schiavone – who, like the other seeds in the top eight, receives a first-round bye – needing to beat either Yaroslava Shvedova or a qualifier to set up the encounter with Kuznetsova, who would need to get past a qualifier and then either Ekaterina Makarova or Tsvetana Pironkova for the rematch to take place.

Bulgarian Pironkova, the 2010 Wimbledon semi-finalist, would appear to be the biggest threat to that much-anticipated clash not taking place.

Elsewhere, top seed Caroline Wozniacki, of Denmark, may tackle her Australian Open conqueror, China’s Na Li – the fifth seed – in the quarter-finals, although she must overcome either Russian Anna Chakvetadze or Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova first in a tough opening encounter. The 13^th-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova could then challenge Wozniacki in the last 16, while Israel’s Shahar Peer will presumably be looking to block Li’s pathway at the same stage.

Serbian Jelena Jankovic faces a difficult initial examination of her title credentials, if Russia’s Maria Kirilenko can get past a qualifier, while other matches to catch the eye in her sector include the all-German affair between Angelique Kerber and Andrea Petkovic, Ana Ivanovic (14) against Patty Schnyder and Vera Dushevina versus Kaia Kanepi, the 12^th seed from Estonia. Australia’s Sam Stosur (4) has been pitted against either Sara Errani, of Italy, or a qualifier.

Marion Bartoli (France, 10) vs Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland, 8), Victoria Azarenka (Belarus, 7) vs Flavia Pennetta (Italy, 11) and Alisa Kleybanova (Russia, 15) vs Vera Zvonareva (Russia, 2) are other potential last-16 tussles to look out for in the lower half. “The field is wide open and predicting a winner is impossible,” the managing director of tournament organisers and owners Dubai Duty Free, Colm McLoughlin, said. “The top eight seeds, who are all ranked inside the top 10, are each strong contenders to join previous champions Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin, Elena Dementieva and Venus Williams as a winner here.”

Salah Tala, the tournament director, added: “What a fantastic fortnight of tennis we have to look forward to, starting with the women’s tournament on Monday. Dubai tennis fans get to see eight of the top-ranked women in the world in action, along with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, who is working her way back to the top 10.”

alex@khaleejtimes.com

RESULTS

Women’s Qualifying Singles, First Round: A Pavlyluchenkova (1) bt V Diatchenko (6-4, 6-3), S Peng (2) bt [W] V Henke (6-1, 6-0), K Bondarenko (11) bt M De Lattre (6-1, 6-0), A Morita (3) bt S Lefevre (6-2, 6-4), M Niculescu (4) bt V Kutuzova (6-2, 6-2), K Barrois (5) bt [W] V Uhlirova (6-1, 6-0), T Malek bt K Nara (16) (7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3), C Scheepers (6) bt D Kustova (6-1, 3-0 – Retired), U Radwanska bt K Flipkens (7) (7-6 (5), 6-2), S Zhang (9) bt [W] T Poutchek (7-5, 6-0), T Paszek (8) bt [W] N Grandin (6-3, 6-4), N Llagostera Vives (15) bt L Ungur (4-6, 6-2, 6-2).