Takeaways: Jabeur advances; Azarenka stops Stephens in Charleston
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Loading... - Kirsten Cooper
- 06 Apr 2023
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Last year's finalist Ons Jabeur kicked off her clay-court season with a straight-sets win over Lesia Tsurenko at the Credit One Charleston Open. Victoria Azarenka also triumphed, beating 2016 champion Sloane Stephens.
Back on the dirt, Ons Jabeur aims to kickstart her year into top gear. The World No.5 from Tunisia began her clay-court season with a 6-3, 6-3 win over 77th-ranked Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine at the Credit One Charleston Open.
Victoria Azarenka also won an evening clash over Sloane Stephens to make the Round of 16. Here are some takeaways from Tuesday night at the WTA 500 event:
Back on track: Jabeur had to face adversity in the first quarter of 2023. After an early loss at the Australian Open, Jabeur had minor knee surgery and missed the entire Middle East swing.
Jabeur came back for the Sunshine Double but went 1-2 in Indian Wells and Miami combined. Jabeur held just a 4-4 win-loss record for the year coming into Charleston, where she had a first-round bye as the No.2 seed.
But this tournament has brought Jabeur positive results over the last two seasons -- she reached the final last year and the semifinals the year before that. Jabeur also reached the final of a WTA 250 event at the same site in 2021.
Jabeur could not ask for a much more beneficial environment to begin her clay swing, and with her 1-hour and 28-minute victory over Tsurenko, she now boasts a 13-3 win-loss record at this site over the last three years. Read More…
