Amanda Anisimova on Monday was handed a walkover into the last 16 of the Dubai Open after her opponent Barbora Krejcikova was forced to withdraw from the WTA 1000 event.
The American second seed enters the round-of-16 against Janice Tjen without swinging a racket as two-time Grand Slam winner Krejcikova pulled out due to an issue with her left thigh.
They became the seventh and eighth players to pull out, a list that includes the world top two Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
Photo: Reuters
Tjen booked her meeting with Anisimova thanks to a 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 win in her round-of-32 match against 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez.
Emma Raducanu, who beat Fernandez in that New York final, tasted defeat in Dubai as she went out in the first round 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to world No. 67 Antonia Ruzic.
Rising star Iva Jovic booked her spot in the second round with a topsy-turvy 6-1, 1-6, 6-1 victory over Kamilla Rakhimova.
Sara Bejlek continued her breakthrough Middle East swing by beating Zeynep Sonmez in straight sets to set up a second-round match with ninth seed Belinda Bencic, who bested Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 2-6, 6-1, 6-2.
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