Paris: Amanda Anisimova was handed a walkover into the last 16 of the Dubai Open on Monday after her opponent Barbora Krejcikova was forced to withdraw from the WTA 1000 event.
The American second seed will enter the round of 16 to face Janice Tjen without swinging a racquet as two-time Grand Slam winner Krejcikova pulled out due to an issue with her left thigh.The story of the tournament so far has been withdrawals, with the Czech joined on the out-list by Canadian starlet Victoria Mboko.
They became the seventh and eighth players to pull out, a list that includes the world top two Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.
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 on Monday as she went out in the first round 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to world number 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.
Paula Badosa beat Katerina Siniakova 6-3, 7-5 to book a meeting with Elina Svitolina, while third seed Coco Gauff will open her tournament against Anna Kalinskaya after the 27-year-old beat Jelena Ostapenko in three sets.
In Tuesday's action, defending champion Mirra Andreeva will enter the fray against Daria Kasatkina and top seed Elena Rybakina faces Kimberly Birrell, both in the round of 32.
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