WTA: seeds a perfect 10-0 in Doha

Despite the WTA’s reputation for inconsistency among its top players, the Qatar Total Open has followed the form guide to the letter.

On Tuesday, 10 seeds took to the court in Doha, and all 10 emerged triumphant. Eight progressed in straight sets.

It’s in stark contrast to what occurred in the Middle East 12 months ago.

At last year’s Qatar Total Open – then a 28-player draw, as opposed to this year’s 56 – just two of the tournament’s eight seeds reached the quarterfinal stage. The following week in Dubai, a measly five of 16 seeds survived the second round.

This year, consistency has so far reigned.

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Fourth seed Garbine Muguruza, who has struggled with injury in the early stages of 2018, moved through to the last 16 with a 6-3 6-4 win over big-hitting Chinese qualifier Duan Ying-Ying.

“I’m just looking to compete and to have matches and to play the top girls also and just to be in the competition,” Muguruza told wtatennis.com. “Doesn’t matter the feeling or the result, but I want to feel that I’m competing and I’m healthy, and I think that’s really enough.

“It’s been a while since I am not competing … It was very interesting. She was playing better, and took me a lot of match points, but it was just an exciting end.”

The other player progressing to round three was No.7 seed Caroline Garcia, who overcame Dominika Cibulkova in three sets, winning the final stanza 6-0.

A juicy potential third-round meeting against No.11 seed Kristina Mladenovic awaits.

Mladenovic continued her return to form with a clinical 6-2 6-4 win over Shuai Peng; qualifier Anna Blinkova stands between her and a meeting with countrywoman Garcia.

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In other results, No.16 Petra Kvitova trounced Cagla Buyukakcay 6-0 6-3 to set up a second-round meeting with former world No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska.

Kvitova, who won the Saint Petersburg title and both of her singles matches at last weekend’s Czech Republic v Switzerland Fed Cup tie, has now won eight matches in a row.

Ninth seed Julia Goerges – the game’s newest member of the top 10 – straight-setted Lucie Safarova to reach the second round. The in-form German has won 19 of her last 21 matches.

Another victor was 10th seed Johanna Konta, who gained revenge on Australian Open conqueror Bernarda Pera by beating the American qualifier 7-6(5) 6-1. The Brit next faces Carla Suarez Navarro.

Madison Keys (12), Anastasija Sevastova (13) and Magdalena Rybarikova (14) all won in straight sets to reach the second round.