Zhang Shuai of the Chinese mainland and France's Kristina Mladenovic delivered a masterclass in doubles tennis, cruising past seventh-seeded duo Sofia Kenin (U.S.) and Lyudmyla Kichenok (Ukraine) 6-1, 6-2 at the Dubai Tennis Championships on Sunday.
The pair dominated from the start, securing a 4-0 lead in the first set and maintaining relentless momentum. A brief challenge in the second set saw their opponents break serve once, but Zhang and Mladenovic quickly reclaimed control to close the match in under an hour.
Next up: The duo faces American pair McCartney Kessler and Clara Tauson in the second round, promising another exciting clash as they eye a deep run in the tournament.
Reference(s):
Zhang, Mladenovic progress in doubles at Dubai Championships
cgtn.com