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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Total Open
Julia Görges advances to the Round of 16
It’s been a fortunate four days for both Julia Görges and Ajla Tomljanovic. Unfortunately for Ajla, the good fortune ended tonight.
Ajla Tomljanovic was the top Qualifying seed in this year’s draw. Thanks to Fed Cup’s weekend schedule, there was a mass exodus of 15 Qualifiers by Friday afternoon – the day before Qualifying began. Left scrambling, the tournament ended-up one shy of a 32-player Qualifying field, gifting Tomljanovic with a 1st-Round Bye.
Meanwhile, main draw commits have also been dropping like flies. By this afternoon, seven officially withdrew – bringing the grand total of withdrawals to a whopping 22 players. When the #8-seed Ashleigh Barty withdrew on Monday, Julia Görges was a granted a seeding and moved into Ashleigh’s vacancy. Instead of facing the #7-seed Anastasija Sevastova, Görges drew Qualifier Tomljanovic.
Good fortune indeed.
Julia allowed Ajla only four holds in a quick straight-sets victory, capping Doha’s second day of play.
Head to Head: Fourth meeting between these two players
- 2019 Doha R1 | [9] Julia Görges -16- (GER) def [Q] Ajla Tomljanovic -41- (AUS) | 62 62
- 2017 Indian Wells R1 | Julia Görges -50- (GER) def Ajla Tomljanovic -664- (AUS) | 75 62
- 2014 Cincinnati QR1 | Julia Görges -89- (GER) def Ajla Tomljanovic -55- (AUS) | 60 46 64
- 2013 Miami R2 | [WC] Ajla Tomljanovic -242- (AUS) def Julia Görges -26- (GER) | 76(4) 62
Day-2. Updated Singles Draw
[/alert]Day-2. Updated Doubles Draw
[/alert][9] Julia Görges -16- (GER) | Round-1 Announcer Introduction
The #9-seed at this year’s Qatar Total Open, 12-years-ago – in 2007 – she made her Doha debut as an 18-year-old Qualifying Wild Card. At the time, she was ranked outside the top-400 – won all of her qualifying matches – and earned her first WTA main-draw victory to reach the 2nd-Round. Fast forward 11-years to last February – where she came into Doha as a top-10 player for the first time – had her best Doha run to the Quarterfinals – then went on to reach her first Major Semifinal at Wimbledon, and climbed to a career-high ranking of World #9. This year, she started the season by defending her title in Auckland, and now owns 7 WTA Singles titles overall. From Germany, please welcome the #16 Player in the World, Julia Görges.
- R1 — W | [Q] Ajla Tomljanovic -41- (AUS) | Score: 6-2, 6-2
[Q] Ajla Tomljanovic -41- (AUS) | Round-1 Announcer Introduction
The top qualifying seed in this year’s tournament, yesterday she defeated Polona Hercog to reach the main draw in her Doha debut. Just 10 days ago, she reached her 4th WTA Tour-level Final at the Taiwan Open, and comes into Doha with a career-high ranking of World #41. Last year, she started the season ranked outside the top-100, but went on a tear – scoring back-to-back Semifinal runs at a pair of WTA-125 events in the States. She then reached her 2nd Tour level Final in Morocco, her 3rd in Seoul, and cracked the WTA’s top-50 by season’s end. Back in 2014, fans stood-up and took notice when she upset World #3 Agnieszka Radwanska at Roland Garros to reach the Round of 16 at a Major for the first time. Competing in her first Qatar Total Open – From Australia, please welcome Ajla Tomljanovic.
