DOHA, Feb 25: Underdog Amanda Anisimova usurped No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3 in the second round of the Qatar Open.
The American teenager took just over an hour to dispatch her Ukrainian rival, who was a semifinalist at both Wimbledon and Roland Garros last season.
�I love playing here, I love this stadium and the crowd is just great, so I�m glad I get to see everyone again in the next round,� said Anisimova on Monday after registering her first win over a top 10 rival since the French Open last May.
Anisimova had to save two break points in the third game of the first set before holding.
She then broke in the next game.
The World No. 29 was under similar pressure in the second set but held on.
In the next round she will play either Svetlana Kuznetsova or and Polish teenager Iga Swiatek.
Recent finalist at Dubai, Elena Rybakina came from a set down against Sorana Cirstea to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 in a first-round match.
�Hopefully I can keep making finals and finally win another,� the 20-year-old Kazakh said after her win. � AFP
