Early upsets abound in opening round in Dubai

For Amanda Anisimova and Jelena Ostapenko, the letdown was real in the United Arab Emirates.

After the two stormed through the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last week, with Anisimova beating Ostapenko in the final of the WTA 1000 event on Saturday, they were bounced Monday in the first round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Qualifier Moyuka Uchijima of Japan chalked up her first Top 30 win with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Latvia's Ostapenko. McCartney Kessler earned her maiden win over a Top 20 player, beating fellow American Anisimova 6-2, 6-3.

It was just earlier Monday that Ostapenko (No. 26) and Anisimova (No. 18) moved up the rankings ladder. Because of their late climb into the rankings, they were unseeded in Dubai, another WTA 1000 event.

"Mentally, I was looking forward to it," Anisimova said after her first-round loss. "Obviously I have confidence right now. But flying and not being able to test out the conditions -- I didn't step out on the court at all ahead of the match. Physically I was having a very hard time. Didn't sleep much the last few nights. I was in a little bit of pain.

"McCartney was playing very well today. It was just a tough turnaround for me. I tried to find my game today, but it was pretty difficult physically ... I am happy with the way I was trying to fight and do as much I could. It just really wasn't enough against high-level players here."

Kessler needed just 67 minutes to win, boosted by taking 89 percent of points on her first serve, converting five of nine break opportunities and capitalizing on seven double faults by Anisimova.

Next up for Kessler is No. 3 seed Coco Gauff.

Ostapenko wasn't on her service game, despite five aces, against Uchijima. She won just 61 percent of points on first serve, struck nine double faults and was broken five times.

The task doesn't get easier for Uchijima, whose second-round competitor is No. 6 seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan.

Also advancing in straight sets were a pair of seeded Russians, No. 11 Diana Shnaider and No. 12 Mirra Andreeva, while their compatriot, No. 10 Daria Kasatkina was knocked out. Another Russian, Anastasia Potapova, eliminated Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia, seeded No. 13.

Others moving to second round were Peyton Stearns, Russia's Veronika Kudermetova, Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, Clara Tauson of Denmark, Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk and Eva Lys of Germany.

--Field Level Media