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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Total Open
Ons Jabeur advances to the Round of 16
All hail the Tunisian rock star. On Sunday night, Ons Jabeur earned her first career victory in Doha, eliminating Katerina Siniakova in the First Round. Tonight, she backed it up with a tremendous straight-sets victory over Dubai Semifinalist Jennifer Brady – who’d battled for nearly 3-hours the night before with the 13-seed Alison Riske.
Fans on Center Court exploded.
You see, last month at the Australian Open, Ons became the first Arab woman in tennis history to reach a Grand Slam Quarterfinal. Last week in Dubai, she took World #2 Simona Halep to a deciding-set tiebreak. Tunisians in Qatar and around the globe are insatiably enchanted by Jabeur’s success. Beyond that, her independent spirit and unapologetic uniqueness – both in character and playing style – have created a sensation that transcends North Africa. She’s earned fans around the world through blood, sweat and unrelenting persistence through set-back. She’s done it the hard way.
The post-victory interview was impossible.
Singing and cheering drowned out every word, highlighting the significance of the win — both to Jabeur’s ascent, and the hopes of a nation. It was a magical moment for Ons, who has inspired football-esque reactions since her dramatic Round-1 win over Riske last week in Dubai. There’s no doubt, she is the main attraction for these two weeks in the Arabian Gulf, and she’s earned every second of the adoration.
Head to Head: Third meeting between these two players
Day-3. Updated Singles Draw
[/alert]Day-3. Updated Doubles Draw
[/alert][WC] Ons Jabeur -44- (TUN) | Round-2 Announcer Introduction
Locked-in on Sunday night, she was punishing and precise against Katerina Siniakova – and in straight-sets, won her first career Singles match here in Doha. 8-years-ago, she made her Qatar Total Open debut as a 17-yearold Wild Card ranked outside the top-1200. Today, he is back as a top-50 Trailblazer, with a career-high ranking of World #44. January’s Breakthrough Player on Tour – last month at the Australian Open, she became the first Arab woman in tennis history to reach a Grand Slam Quarterfinal. And last week in Dubai, took World #2 Simona Halep to a thrilling deciding-set tiebreak. A 100% Tunisian Product, please welcome the top-ranked Arab player in WTA history, Ons Jabeur.
- R2 — W | Jennifer Brady -45- (USA) | Score: 6-4, 6-3
- R1 — W | [Q] Katerina Siniakova -58- (CZE) | Score: 6-3, 6-2 | RECAP
Announcer Corner | Doha: Ons Jabeur
Qatar has not been a hotbed of success for Tunisia’s top talent. Before Sunday night, Ons had never won a Qualifying or Main Draw Singles match in Doha. Last year, she fell in the Opening Round to 2016 Champion Carla Suarez Navarro. However in Doubles – thanks to several last minute, Fed Cup travel-related withdrawals – she and Alison Riske partnered to reach the 2019 Semifinals. She’s now earned two victories on this court, and will have to get past 2017 Champion Karolina Pliskova to reach the Quarterfinals.
Jennifer Brady -45- (USA) | Round-2 Announcer Introduction
Two of the biggest wins of her career – have come in the past two months. During week-1 of the season, as a Qualifier in Brisbane, she upset World #1 Ashleigh Barty in straight-sets to reach the Quarterfinals. Then, last Thursday in Dubai – she defeated World #6 Elina Svitolina to reach the Semifinals. Yesterday, she woke to the news that she’d cracked the WTA’s top-50 for the firt time – and late last night, earned a grueling deciding-set tiebreak victory over Alison Riske to reach tonight’s 2nd-Round match. Back in Doha with a career-high ranking of World #45 – from the United States, please welcome Jennifer Brady.
- R2 — L | [WC] Ons Jabeur -44- (TUN) | Score: 4-6, 3-6
- R1 — W | [13] Alison Riske -19- (USA) | Score: 7-6(10), 1-6, 7-6(3) | RECAP
Announcer Corner | Doha: Jennifer Brady
Like Ons, Jennifer Brady is on the climb. She too has reached competitive relevance the hard-way. Just take this season for example. In Brisbane, she put herself in position to face Ashleigh Barty after 3 qualifying victories and a deciding-set upset of Maria Sharapova. Last week in Dubai, she again won 3 qualifiers before upsetting Svitolina, Vondrousova and Muguruza to reach the Semi’s.
This was Brady’s second Qatar Total Open. Last year, she fell in the final round of qualifying to Alison Riske. This year, she faced Allie again in her main-draw debut. It was a late-night, 3-hour battle on Court-1, and an exhausting triumph. Under those circumstances, and the amount of competition she’s endured over the past 12-days, Brady should be proud she put 7-games on the board. Hell of a fighter.
