Four of Canada’s top female tennis players were in action at WTA tournaments the past two days, with Stephanie Dubois, Rebecca Marino, and Aleksandra Wozniak falling in their opening matches and Sharon Fichman advancing in doubles.
Marino will not be making consecutive appearances in the Memphis International final as she dropped a 6-2, 6-4 decision to No. 2 seed Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan on Tuesday morning in her first tournament since the Australian Open over a month ago. It was at the Tennessean event last year that she reached her first WTA final.
In Dubai, Wozniak showed strong form in nearly eliminating world No. 6 Agnieszka Radwanska at the Premier-level Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in the United Arab Emirates before falling 6-1, 6-7(6), 7-5. The 24-year-old had battled through three three-set qualifying matches against Sania Mirza, Kateryna Bondarenko, and Polona Hercog to take her spot in the main draw. The world No. 80 recently regained her position as Canada’s No. 1-ranked female player, and looks poised to continue her climb up the rankings following a 2011 season hindered by injuries.
At the Whirlpool Monterrey Open in Mexico, Canada went 1-1 on Monday, with Dubois losing in the first round but Fichman winning in the doubles draw.
Dubois, who is currently sitting at her career-high of No. 87, fell to No. 2 seed Sara Errani of Italy 6-2, 6-2. Fichman, playing doubles with Sun Sheng-Nan of China, defeated Mexican wild cards Ana Paula De Le Pena and Ivette Lopez 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round to advance to the quarter-finals.
