Feb 16, 2025, 01:07 PM ET
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Two-time former champion Elina Svitolina routed last year’s runner-up Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the first round of the Dubai Championships on Sunday.
Kalinskaya came through qualifying and beat three top-10 players in a row — including a stunning upset win against No. 1 Iga Swiatek — to reach last year’s final.
But this time the Russian No. 15 seed’s tournament lasted a little more than one hour against Svitolina. The 30-year-old Ukrainian won 75% of points on her first serve and clinically converted six of her seven break points.
Svitolina won the WTA 1000 tournament in 2017 — the year she reached a career-best ranking of third — and in 2018.
She will face either Rebecca Sramkova or Clara Tauson in the second round.
Former US Open champion Emma Raducanu had a wild card entry and was playing Maria Sakkari later Sunday, with the winner facing 14th-seeded Karolina Muchova in the second round.
