Qatar Open: Angelique Kerber crashes out of Doha after losing to Russia's Daria Kasatkina
It was the 2d time this 12 months that Kerber has misplaced to the 19-yr-old Russian, after at the Sydney global remaining month.
global variety Angelique Kerber ultimately got to play her first healthy on the rain-affected Qatar Open on Thursday then directly crashed out of the event. On another moist day within the desert, Kerber lost 6-4, 0-6, 6-four to Russian teen Daria Kasatkina in a 2d spherical healthy. The German had received a primary round bye.
"Of route, it`s constantly tough to play the primary suits after a longer ruin," stated the former number one afterwards.
"but I was now not feeling the fine these days. I`m looking for my rhythm. but she performs properly.
"I suppose it changed into, for sure, now not my day. I used to be now not feeling the high-quality nowadays."
She informed German-talking newshounds that she have been tormented by a chilly but did not want to make "a drama out of this".
It became the second one time this 12 months that Kerber has lost to the 19-12 months-antique Russian, after being defeated 7-6, 6-2 on the Sydney international ultimate month.
The event had begun on Monday, but Kerber had confronted an irritating wait to get out on the court because of the moist situations.
Rain has interrupted each day`s play so far as Qatar suffers some of its wettest climates in years.
Kerber`s defeat caps a miserable begin to 2017 for the German who misplaced inside the fourth round in Melbourne as she sought to protect her Australian Open name.
To make things worse, the eventual winner Serena Williams then reclaimed Kerber`s number one world ranking.
The defeat additionally denied Doha a repeat of closing yr`s Olympics very last, as Kasatkina as a substitute received via to play gold medallist Monica Puig in a closing eight clash. That in shape also began on Thursday.
It becomes tied at one set all, the Russian took the first set 6-4, whilst Puig hit returned to take the second 7-5, with the Puerto Rican 2-1 up within the decider before the inevitable rain struck once more and play changed into halted for the day.
Also suspended because of the weather was Caroline Wozniacki`s quarter-final clash against American qualifier Lauren Davis.
The pair managed only one game on a side court before being stopped for the day.
Earlier the Dane had beaten close friend Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5, 6-3.
"We always have great matches," said the Dane afterwards. "It was a tough match but I was pleased."
Only one player, Slovakia`s Dominika Cibulkova, has so far won through to the semi-finals as rain has decimated the schedule.
She beat Australia`s Samantha Stosur 7-5, 6-4, and will play the winner of the match between the Czech Republic`s Karolina Pliskova and China`s Zhang Shuai.
Pliskova, the number two seed, had earlier on Thursday beaten France`s Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-4.