Keys returns to tour in Doha and beats Bencic

DOHA: In her first match since September, former US Open finalist Madison Keys beat Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-1 at the Qatar Open on Tuesday.

Keys’ second-round opponent is Maria Sakkari, who won their only previous match last year.

Qualifier Laura Siegemund also pulled off an upset, seeing off Elena Rybakina 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5) having lost both her last encounters with Rybakina in 2019. Siegemund meets Victoria Azarenka in the second round.

Australian Open quarter-finalist Jessica Pegula won against Wang Qiang 6-3, 6-1 in their first-round match. Pegula came through three rounds of qualifying.

The 56th-ranked Laura Siegemund overcame a 33-place rankings gap to Elena Rybakina as she won 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5). Also, Ons Jabeur beat Anna Blinkova 6-2, 6-2.

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur efficiently saw off Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-2, 6-2 and will face number two seed Karolina Pliskova in the second round.

Japan’s Misaki Doi closed the day’s proceedings, beating China’s Zheng Saisai 6-4, 6-3.