By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, March 2, 2021
Madison Keys launched her 2021 season with a commanding comeback statement.
Playing her first match since Roland Garros six months ago, Keys turned the Doha had court into a welcome back party. Keys won 30 of 36 first-serve points beating Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-1 to burst into the Qatar Total Open round of 16.
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The sixth-seeded Swiss, who was runner-up to Iga Swiatek in last weekend’s Adelaide final, may well have been a bit worn out by the quick turnaround time and travel to Doha.
An eager Keys burst out of the blocks winning 12 of the first 15 points to snatch a 3-0 lead. Bencic broke back in the ninth game, but Keys returned the favor to take a one-set lead.
Blasting her forehand into the corners, the 19th-ranked Keys broke at 15 for a 3-1 second-set lead then dug in to deny a break point to back up the break.
A focused Keys fired through the final 10 consecutive points including slashing an ace down the T on match point to wrap up an impressive 67-minute win.
Next up for Keys is a round-of-16 meeting vs. Maria Sakkari.
Earlier, American qualifier Jessica Pegula raced out to 5-1 leads in both sets powering past Wang Qiang, 6-3, 6-1. Australian Open quarterfinalist Pegula improved to 7-3 on the season and will face 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko next.
It was a good day for qualifiers.
German qualifier Laura Siegemund squeezed out a 7-6(7), 7-6(5) win over hard-hitting Elena Rybakina. US Open doubles champion Siegemund earned a round-of-16 meeting vs. former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka.
Ons Jabeur won 21 of 26 first-serve points and denied both break points she faced dismissing Anna Blinkova 6-2, 6-2 in 68 minutes.
The 31st-ranked Jabeur will face second-seeded Karolina Pliskova in a rematch of the 2020 round of 16, which Jabeur won before bowing to Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals.