Dan Evans is beaten by Aslan Karatsev in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships; Russian Karatsev was a surprise semi-finalist at the Australian Open last month; Harriet Dart shocks Heather Watson in their all-British clash in Monterrey, with Katie Boulter beaten
Tuesday 16 March 2021 22:22, UK
Dan Evans became the latest victim to fall to man of the moment Aslan Karatsev at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, while Harriet Dart shocked Heather Watson in their all-British clash at the Abierto GNP Seguros in Monterrey but Katie Boulter made a first-round exit.
Karatsev, out to prove his remarkable run to the Australian Open semi-finals a month ago was no flash in the pan, knocked out Evans 6-4 4-6 6-4 in a seesaw second-round encounter.
Meanwhile, Dart shocked Watson while Boulter made a first-round exit as she was beaten in straight sets by Anna Karolina Schmiedlova.
Evans, seeded 12th at the tournament where he reached the semi-finals last year, had no answer to the Russian's booming return of serve for the first set-and-a-half.
The pace on those returns forced two break points in the fifth game and an Evans double-fault on the second gave Karatsev the lead at 3-2.
World No 28 Evans hustled and harried his way to an immediate break back, but Karatsev instantly regained the initiative and served out the first set.
Evans, who won his first ATP Tour title at the Murray River Open in Melbourne last month, grew visibly frustrated as he was broken twice at the start of the second.
But at 4-3 40-0 down, Evans began to turn things around as Karatsev's rhythm suddenly deserted him.
The 30-year-old battled back to break for 4-4 and went on to level the match.
However, Karatsev, up from 114 to 42 in the world and playing at his first ATP 500 event at the age of 27, came out at the start of the decider revitalised.
He took what turned out to be the decisive break in the opening game and saved two break points in serving out the match, wrapping up victory in two hours and 22 minutes.
Denis Shapovalov dominated Jan-Lennard Struff to win 6-1 6-3 and set up a meeting with Hubert Hurkacz, who struck 11 aces to defeat Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-4. Lorenzo Sonego beat Spanish qualifier Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-2 6-2.
A previous champion at the Mexico hard court event, Watson fell at the first hurdle in her attempts to match that 2016 triumph.
Britain's No 2 and No 3 went toe-to-toe in Monterrey, where Dart - who reached this stage as a lucky loser - emerged triumphant against the fifth seed 6-4 7-6 (7-1).
The 24-year-old, who is ranked 153rd in the world, won the first set but Watson looked ready to level things off after racing into a 5-2 lead in the second.
But Dart responded and won the tie break 7-1 to set up a second-round encounter with Viktoria Kuzmova of Slovakia.
Watson is still in doubles contention in Monterrey, where she has progressed to the quarter-finals with Zheng Saisai.
Boulter was defeated 6-4 6-0 by her Slovakian opponent Schmiedlova after an hour and 24 minutes.
The opening set saw Boulter register the first break to go 3-2 up, only for Schmiedlova to immediately break back before winning all but one of the games thereafter.
Boulter received treatment on her right foot during a medical time out at 3-0 down in the second.
American Ann Li won 6-3 7-5 over the Netherlands' Arantxa Rus and will play Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia, who beat Mexico's Renata Zarazua 7-6 (8) 6-3.
Lauren Davis of the US fought back against Egypt's Mayar Sherif to win 1-6 6-2 6-3, Slovakia's Viktoria Kuzmova won 6-3 6-1 over American Caroline Dolehide, Canada's Leylah Fernandez beat Coco Vandeweghe of the US 6-3 6-2, and Serbian Nina Stojanovic advanced when Italy's Martina Trevisan withdrew while trailing 6-3 3-1.
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