Ons Jabeur opens with win in Berlin, Andrea Petkovic upsets Garbine Muguruza

By Associated Press

BERLIN: Ons Jabeur started her grass-court season with a win as she cruised past Karolina Muchova 6-3, 6-3 at the Berlin Open on Tuesday, while Andrea Petkovic delighted the home fans by upsetting Garbiñe Muguruza.

Playing for the first time since a shock first-round loss at the French Open, the fourth-ranked Jabeur put in an assured performance as she saved all four of the break points she faced against her Czech opponent.

The top-seeded Jabeur, who reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year, will next play U.S. qualifier Alycia Parks.

The Tunisian will also team up with the returning Serena Williams to play doubles in Eastbourne next week.

“Pretty excited to play doubles with Serena,” Jabeur said. “When I got the news, I was over the moon. Such a privilege for me.”

Petkovic defeated the fifth-seeded Muguruza 7-6 (8), 6-4 for her first win over a top 10 player since beating Petra Kvitova at the U.S. Open in 2019.

The German will next face Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus for a place in the quarterfinals.

The second-seeded Maria Sakkari eased into the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over French qualifier Leolia Jeanjean. Sakkari, who avenged her loss to Jeanjean in their only previous meeting in 2013, will play Australian qualifier Daria Saville next.

Belinda Bencic defeated German wild card Jule Niemeier 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 for another second-round match against Anna Kalinskaya. Bencic beat the Russian player in the same round in ’s-Hertogenbosch last week.