MAKING the final in the Qatar Open proved to be a poison chalice for the Dubai Tennis Championships as both Doha champion Amanda Anisimova and runner-up Jelena Ostapenko suffered shock losses in the first round overnight.

Ansimova had just cracked the Top 20 for the first time but went down to compatriot McCartney Kessler 6-2 6-3, while former Top 5 talent Ostapenko was easily beaten by Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima. The quick turnaround between the final on Saturday and the action on Monday – along with the obvious long week compared to their opponents – proved too much to overcome for the pair who departed the WTA1000 event earlier than anticipated.

Now ranked 18th (Anisimova) and 26th (Ostapenko), neither were seeded given the seeds were sorted out prior to the week before, though it would have mattered little if they were given their losses to Uchijima (62nd) and Kessler (53rd). Ansimova said the lack of exposure to court conditions hurt her chances.

“Mentally, I was looking forward to it,” Anisimova said post-match. “Obviously I have confidence right now. But flying and not being able to test out the conditions – I didn’t step out on the court at all ahead of the match. Physically I was having a very hard time. Didn’t sleep much the last few nights. I was in a little bit of pain.

“McCartney was playing very well today. It was just a tough turnaround for me. I tried to find my game today, but it was pretty difficult physically … I am happy with the way I was trying to fight and do as much I could. It just really wasn’t enough against high-level players here.”

In fairness to Kessler in particular, she has form in 2025 as she chases a Top 40 spot for the first time in her career having hit 47th following her title win in Hobart this year. She has a tough next-up assignment though against another American in third seed Coco Gauff. Uchijima on the other hand will also face a top eight seed in Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina.

A couple of seeds did fall on day two, with Romanian Sorana Cirstea dismantling 10th seed Daria Kasatkina, while South American 13th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia fell to Anastasia Potapova. The other two Russian seeds had no issues blitzing their opponents with Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva only dropping a combined seven games across four sets.

Uchijima was joined in the Round of 32 by a couple of other qualifiers in German Eva Lys and Russian Veronika Kudermetova, while United States’ Peyton Stearns took out Ons Jabeur in straight sets. Other day two winners were heavy hitters Marta Kostyuk and Clara Tauson, as well as the experienced Victoria Azarenka.

2025 DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS WTA1000 – ROUND OF 64 RESULTS:

Sorana Cirstea (ROU) defeated [10] Daria Kasatkina (RUS) 6-1 6-4
[11] Diana Shnaider (RUS) defeated Magdalena Frech (POL) 6-2 6-2
[12] Mirra Andreeva (RUS) defeated Elina Avanesyan (ARM) 6-2 6-1
Anastasia Potapova (RUS) defeated [13] Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 6-3 6-0
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) defeated [Q] Katerina Siniakova (CZE) 6-1 6-4
Clara Tauson (DEN) defeated Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) 7-6 6-0
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) defeated Anhelina Kalinina (UKR) 2-6 7-6 6-4
[Q] Moyuka Uchijima (JPN) defeated Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 6-3 6-3
McCartney Kessler (USA) defeated Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-2 6-3
[Q] Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) defeated Ektaterina Alexandrova (RUS) 3-6 6-4 6-3
Peyton Stearns (USA) defeated Ons Jabeur (TUN) 7-6 6-4
[Q] Eva Lys (GER) defeated [Q] Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU) 5-7 7-5 6-3