Kuznetsova bows out

Germany’s Julia Goerges crushed double Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-0, 6-1 to advance to the second round of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Monday.

The 55-minute demolition was eight-seeded Kuznetsova’s heaviest defeat since suffering a similar scoreline last October in Wuhan, China.

The only two seeds playing in Monday’s first round fell at the first hurdle with sixth seed and 2015 finalist Karolina Pliskova upset by American Coco Vandeweghe who won hcr first match of the season 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 over the Czech wild card.

Goerges repeated history over Kuznetsova after beating the 18th-ranked Russian in the first round in Dubai four years ago on opening day.

“It was not one of my best,” the 54th-ranked winner said. “I was very solid but I had a few mistakes. I didn’t give her the chance to get into the match, I played aggressive,” Kuznetsova added.

Fellow German Andrea Petkovic also got off to a winning start, breaking six times in a 6-2, 6-1 defeat of Italian Camila Giorgi, to end a two-match loss streak.

The 28th-ranked Petkovic, who exited in the Australian Open first round, and then was beaten in the Fed Cup by Swiss Belinda Bencic, is working with a new coaching team and feels her tennis has turned a corner after she toyed with the idea of quitting the sport last December.

Petkovic could face new world number nine Bencic in the next round at the Aviation Club if the weekend finalist in St. Petersburg beats one Jelena Jankovic in the opening round.